Bucephala islandica Status: Rare regular winter visitor North Platte River Valley, rare casual central and east. Rare casual spring and fall migrant west and east. Documentation: Photograph: 19 Apr 1987 Keystone Lake, Keith Co (Mollhoff 1989). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). A hybrid between this species and Barrow’s Goldeneye has occurred […]
HOODED MERGANSER
Lophodytes cucullatus Status: Fairly common regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Fairly common regular summer visitor east and central, uncommon west. Rare regular breeder east, rare casual central and west. Uncommon regular winter visitor west, south and east, rare casual north. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM13026, 5 Nov 1970 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized […]
COMMON GOLDENEYE
Bucephala clangula americana Status: Common regular spring migrant statewide. Rare casual summer visitor statewide. Common, locally abundant, regular fall migrant statewide. Uncommon, locally common, regular winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7681, 10 Apr 1926 Lincoln, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized, European Common Goldeneye B. c. clangula, and American Common Goldeneye, B. c. […]
BUFFLEHEAD
Bucephala albeola Status: Common, locally abundant, regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Rare casual summer visitor statewide. Accidental breeder Brown Co. Uncommon regular winter visitor west, south, east, rare casual north. Documentation: Specimen: WSC 544, 4 Nov 1979 Gavin’s Point Dam, Cedar Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). For Nebraska records […]
LONG-TAILED DUCK
Clangula hyemalis Status: Rare regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Rare regular winter visitor central and east. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM12300, 11 Nov 1931 east of Tekamah, Burt Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Spring: Feb 26, 28, Mar 2 <<<>>> Apr 28, 29, 29 There are later reports 24 Apr-3 […]
BLACK SCOTER
Melanitta americana Status: Rare casual spring migrant statewide. Uncommon regular fall migrant statewide. Rare casual winter visitor. Accidental in summer. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7675, 1904 Omaha, Douglas Co. Taxonomy: The two former subspecies of Black Scoter M. nigra, nigra and americana, were raised to species status, the American taxon M. americana (oddly) retaining the name […]