Selasphorus rufus Status: Uncommon regular fall migrant west and central, rare regular east. Accidental in spring. Documentation: Specimen: UNO B218, late Aug 1971 Scotts Bluff Co (Bray et al 1986). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025). See Comments below regarding Allen’s Hummingbird (S. sasin), as yet unrecorded in Nebraska. Spring: The only documented record […]
RUFFED GROUSE
Bonasa umbellus MEDIANA Status: Extirpated. Documentation: Specimen: HMM 1984 (pair), 1916 Dodge Co (Swenk, Notes Before 1925). Taxonomy: Pyle (2008) listed 10 subspecies, although variation and color phases make accurate separation difficult; some authors suggest as many as 15 subspecies (Rusch et al 2020). AviList (2025) lists 13 subspecies. The extirpated eastern Nebraska population (mediana), […]
COMMON POORWILL
Phalaenoptilus nuttallii nuttallii Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant west and west central, uncommon east central, rare casual east. Common regular breeder west, uncommon central, rare casual east.Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6247, 24 May 1900 Monroe Canyon, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: Of the six subspecies recognized (AviList 2025), only one occurs as far north as Nebraska […]
PURPLE GALLINULE
Porphyrio martinicA Status: Rare casual summer visitor central. Documentation: Photograph: 13 Sep 2019 Hastings, Adams Co (Eric Javins; Brogie 2020). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025). The specific epithet martinica is used here (Chesser et 2024, AviList (2025). Summer: There are two documented records: 2 May 1946 Pauline, Adams Co (Ager 1946) 13 Sep […]
COMMON GALLINULE
Gallinula galeata cachinnans Status: Rare casual spring migrant south and east. Rare casual breeder east. Rare casual fall migrant. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM10394, 4 May 1911 Exeter, Fillmore Co. Taxonomy: This New World species was split from Old World Common Moorhen G. chloropus (Chesser et al 2011). Common Gallinule (G. galeata) comprises seven subspecies, three […]
KING RAIL
Rallus elegans elegans Status: Rare casual spring and summer visitor statewide. Rare casual breeder east. Rare casual fall migrant statewide. Documentation: Specimen: HMM 2496, Inland, Clay Co 5 Jun 1916 (Swenk, Notes After 1925). Taxonomy: After the taxonomic revision of Rallus rails (Chesser et al 2014), King Rail as reconstituted contains two subspecies, elegans of […]