Loxia leucoptera leucoptera Status: Uncommon casual winter visitor statewide. Rare casual summer visitor. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7187, winter 1886 Fairbury, Jefferson Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025), bifasciata of Eurasia, and leucoptera breeding across Canada, northern USA and northern Rocky Mountains. Nebraska birds are leucoptera. AviList (2025) refers to this species by its proposed […]
CASSIN’S FINCH
Haemorhous 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, both Cassin’s Finches, are labelled Purple Finch, possibly inadvertently by the collector. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025). Pyle […]
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). Eleven subspecies are recognized […]
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 (AviList 2025). Spring: Mar 27, 29, 30 <<<>>> 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 east central, rare casual elsewhere. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7609, 25 Oct 1890 Lincoln, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025). Spring: Mar 11, 12, 14 <<<>>> Apr 29, 30, May 3 Earlier dates are discussed below. Although migrants presumably pass through Nebraska […]