Chroicocephalus philadelphia Status: Fairly common regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6622, 31 Mar 1893 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized. Spring: Mar 19, 20, 20 <<<>>> May 25, 25, 26 Earlier dates are 7 Mar 1983 Wayne Co, 11 Mar 2013 Platte Co, and 12 Mar 2016 Lancaster Co. Later […]
ROSS’S GULL
Rhodostethia rosea Status: Rare casual fall visitor. Documentation: Photograph: 17 Dec 1992 Sutherland Reservoir, Lincoln Co (Dinsmore and Silcock 1993, Rosche 1993, Gubanyi 1996). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Fall: There are three records: 26 Nov-7 Dec 2010 Gavin’s Point Dam, Cedar Co (Brogie 2011) 3-4 Dec 2010 Branched Oak Lake, […]
LITTLE GULL
Hydrocoloeus minutus Status: Rare casual spring and fall migrant statewide. Documentation: Photograph: 26 Apr 1995 Wehrspann Lake, Sarpy Co (Gubanyi 1996). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized. Spring: There are five records. The alternate-plumaged individual at Wehrspann Lake 26 Apr 1995 (cited above) was with a large flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls, typical of this species (and […]
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Chroicocephalus ridibundus Status: Rare casual fall migrant. Documentation: Description: 12 Aug 1979 Walgren Lake, Sheridan Co (Rosche 1982; Bray et al 1986). Taxonomy: Gill et al (2022), Clements et al (2016), and Pyle (2008) consider this species monotypic, which is followed here. Several authors recognize two subspecies: nominate ridibundus, an Eurasian and local eastern North […]
[IVORY GULL]
Pagophila eburnea Status: No accepted records. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized. Comments: A report of an adult seen briefly 12 Oct 1986 in Antelope Co (Marsh and Marsh 1986) was not accepted by the NOURC (Mollhoff 1987). It was described as a “white gull” with “black legs and feet and a black bill”; “while the […]
ANCIENT MURRELET
Synthliboramphus antiquus Status: Accidental in fall. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM14801, 27 Oct 1929 Burt Co (Swenk 1933). Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized: antiquus over most of the range, and microrhynchos restricted to the Russian Commander Islands (Gill et al 2022), although the validity of microrhynchos has been questioned (Gaston and Shoji 2020). The identity of […]