LARUS SMITHSONIANUS X Marinus Status: Accidental in fall. Record: The single record is of one at Lake McConaughy, Keith Co 14 Nov 2022 (Mlodinow, eBird.org). It was the size of Great Black-backed but its incoming mantle color was paler than expected for that species (Mlodinow, eBird.org). Comments: The Keith Co record appears to be a first for […]
Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus SMITHSONIANUS x fuscus Status: Rare casual in winter Records: The first Nebraska record was of one at Lake McConaughy, Keith Co 27 Dec 2023 (Mlodinow, eBird.org). There are numerous records of this hybrid in eastern North America, with a few westward, including four along the Colorado Front Range Oct-Jan (eBird.org, accessed Mar 2023). Comments: The first […]
Snow x Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser caerulescens x Anser albifrons Status: Accidental in spring. Record: The only record is of one in Dakota Co 19 Feb 2023 (Huser, eBird.org). Comments: There are numerous records of this hybrid, most in the Mississippi and Missouri river valleys, with seven in all for Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma (eBird.org, accessed Mar 2023). Most records […]
Myrtle Warbler x Audubon’s Warbler (hybrid)
Setophaga coronata x SETOPHAGA Auduboni Status: Uncommon spring and fall migrant west and central, rare east. Rare casual winter visitor east. Taxonomy: The subspecies coronata and auduboni were at one time considered separate species, Myrtle and Audubon’s Warblers respectively, but since 1983 have been treated as conspecifics due to the presence of hybrid zones from […]
Yellow-throated x Blue-headed Vireo (hybrid)
Vireo flavifrons x VIREO solitarius Status: Accidental in fall. Record: A single bird identified as this hybrid was photographed at Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Garden Co, 6 Sep 2022 (Steven Mlodinow, https://ebird.org/checklist/S118246264). Comments: This hybrid appears to be exceptionally rare (McCarthy 2006); eBird shows only one other record, from Oswego Co, New York. A […]
Western Grebe x Clark’s Grebe (hybrid)
Aechmophorus occidentalis x clarkii Status: Rare regular spring and fall migrant west and west central. Documentation: Photograph: 25 May 2020 Box Butte Reservoir SRA, Dawes Co (Leukering, Dunning; eBird.org). Taxonomy: Hybridization occurs between the two Aechmophorus species. Konter (2011) found around 3.5% of birds in sympatric breeding populations in California and Oregon were intermediate, and […]