Zonotrichia atricapilla Status: Rare casual spring and fall migrant and winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Photograph: 25-26 Nov 1984 Alliance, Box Butte Co (Thomas 1984; Mollhoff 1989). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Golden-crowned Sparrow hybridizes occasionally with other Zonotrichia species, White-crowned, and White-throated Sparrows, although none are recorded for Nebraska. Nearest are […]
SAGEBRUSH SPARROW
Artemisiospiza nevadensis Status: Accidental in fall. Documentation: Description: 6 Aug 1989 Sowbelly Canyon, Sioux Co (Stage and Stage 1990). Taxonomy: Former Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli) consisted of two subspecies groups, coastal belli with subspecies belli and clementeae, and interior nevadensis with subspecies canescens, campicola, and nevadensis (Pyle 1997). However genetic studies by Cicero & Johnson […]
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW
Amphispiza bilineata bilineata Status: Rare casual summer visitor. Rare casual winter visitor east. Documentation: Photograph: 17 Dec 1973 Omaha, Douglas Co (Meier 1974; Williams 1974). Taxonomy: There are nine subspecies recognized, six in Mexico, and three in the US (Gill et al 2022): deserticola, breeding and wintering from California to southwest Wyoming and southwest New […]
SNOW BUNTING
Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis Status: Uncommon regular winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7618, 17 Nov 1897 Lincoln, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Four subspecies are recognized, two in Eurasia and these two in North America (Gill et al 2022): townsendi, resident on western Alaska islands, and nivalis, breeding and wintering throughout the remainder of the North American […]
THICK-BILLED LONGSPUR
Rhynchophanes mccownii Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant west, rare casual elsewhere. Locally common regular breeder western Panhandle. State listed as Threatened. Documentation: UNSM ZM7565, 20 Jun 1901 Indian Creek, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: Chesser et al (2010) transferred this species from the genus Calcarius to monotypic Rhynchophanes. The English name of this species was […]
PURPLE FINCH
Haemorhous purpureus purpureus Status: Uncommon regular spring and fall migrant and winter visitor east and central, rare west. Documentation: UNSM ZM7120, 1891 Lincoln, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022): purpureus, breeding in south-central and southeast Canada and the northeast USA, wintering to southeast USA, and californicus, breeding in southwest Canada […]