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 (AviList 2025). Spring: Apr 3, 3, 3 <<<>>> May 6, 6, 7 Earlier dates are 6 […]
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 (AviList 2025). Spring: Mar 27, 27, 29 <<<>>> Apr 29, 30, May 3 Earlier dates are discussed below. Although migrants presumably pass through Nebraska on a regular […]
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH
Leocosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis, L. t. littoralis Status: Rare regular winter visitor west. Documentation: Specimen: tephrocotis, UNSM ZM7133, 15 Feb 1896 Harrison, Sioux Co. Photograph and description: littoralis, 30 Dec 2020 Toadstool Road, Sioux Co (Mlodinow, eBird.org). Taxonomy: Seven subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025) in two groups (Macdougall-Shackleton et al 2020). The Gray-cheeked group (“Hepburn’s Rosy-Finch”) […]
HOARY REDPOLL
Acanthis hornemanni Status: Rare casual winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Photograph: 5 Feb 1982 Ames, Dodge Co (Bray et al 1986). Taxonomy: Gill et al (2022) refer to this species as Arctic Redpoll. A recent proposal to AOU to lump the redpolls, including Common and Hoary Redpolls has not yet been voted upon (AOU 2016), but […]
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE
Myadestes townsendi townsendi Status: Rare casual breeder northwest. Common regular winter resident and spring and fall migrant west, uncommon central, rare east. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6699, 19 Feb 1896 Harrison, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025) one in Mexico and the other, townsendi, breeding and wintering throughout the North America range. Nebraska […]