Loxia leucoptera leucoptera Status: Uncommon casual winter visitor statewide. Rare casual summer visitor. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7187, winter 1886 Fairbury, Jefferson Co. Taxonomy: Gill et al (2022) refer to this species as Two-barred Crossbill. Two subspecies are recognized, bifasciata of Eurasia, and leucoptera breeding across Canada, northern USA and northern Rocky Mountains (Gill et al […]
CASSIN’S FINCH
Haemorhous cassinii cassinii Status: Rare regular but erratic winter visitor Panhandle, rare casual west central. Accidental breeder northwest. Documentation: UNSM ZM10486, 7 Dec 1910 Crawford, Dawes Co (Mickel and Dawson 1920). This specimen and UNSM ZM10487 are labelled Purple Finch, possibly inadvertently by the collector. Taxonomy: No subspecies are generally recognized (Gill et al 2022), […]
HOUSE FINCH
Haemorhous mexicanus frontalis Status: Common regular resident statewide. Documentation: Specimen: HMM 2425, 29 Jan 1916 Haigler, Dundy Co. Taxonomy: This species, along with Purple Finch and Cassin’s Finch, were recently assigned (Chesser et al 2012) to their own genus (Haemorhous, from Carpodacus) based on a study by Zuccon et al (2012). Of about 11 subspecies […]
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR
Calcarius ornatus Status: Fairly common regular spring and fall migrant west, uncommon central, rare east. Fairly common regular breeder west, locally uncommon north central. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7614, 20 Mar 1900 Mullen, Hooker Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Spring: Apr 3, 4, 4 <<<>>> Apr 21, 21, 22 Earlier dates […]
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
Spinus tristis Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant and breeder statewide. Abundant regular winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: tristis, UNSM ZM16086, Lancaster Co 2 Aug 1889; pallidus, UNSM ZM7180, Springview Bridge, Keya Paha Co 16 Jun 1902. Taxonomy: Spinus, a former sub-genus of Carduelis, was raised to generic status based on genetic data (Chesser et […]
SMITH’S LONGSPUR
Calcarius pictus Status: Uncommon regular spring and fall migrant east, rare casual elsewhere. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7609, 25 Oct 1890 Lincoln, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Spring: Mar 27, 27, 29 <<<>>> Apr 29, 30, May 3 Earlier dates are discussed below. Although migrants presumably pass through Nebraska on […]