Lanius borealis BOREALIS Status: Fairly common regular winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6747, Mar 1900 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Chesser et al (2017) recognized separate species in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, L. excubitor Great Gray Shrike of Eurasia, and L. borealis Northern Shrike of North America with five subspecies, only one of which, borealis, […]
LEAST FLYCATCHER
Empidonax minimus Status: Common regular spring migrant statewide. Common regular fall migrant east and central, fairly common west. Rare casual breeder north and west. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6391, 9 May 1903 Havelock, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Spring: Apr 25, 26, 26 <<<>>> Jun 4, 4, 5 Later dates […]
EASTERN KINGBIRD
Tyrannus tyrannus Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant and breeder statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM11592, 10 May 1892 Jamaica, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: A recent revision by Chesser et al (2018) changed the order of subfamilies within the Tyrannidae, placing Tyranninae (Nebraska-occurring genera Myiarchus, Pitangus, Tyrannus) ahead of Fluvicolinae (Nebraska-occurring genera Contopus, Empidonax, Sayornis, Pyrocephalus). We […]
WESTERN KINGBIRD
Tyrannus verticalis Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant and breeder west and central, fairly common east. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM13464, 10 May 1903 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: A recent decision by Chesser et al (2018) rearranged the order of subfamilies within the Tyrannidae, placing Tyranninae (Nebraska-occurring genera Myiarchus, Pitangus, Tyrannus) ahead of Fluvicolinae (Nebraska-occurring genera […]
NORTHERN HARRIER
Circus hudsonius Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Uncommon regular winter visitor statewide. Rare, locally uncommon, regular breeder central and west. Summer and migration Winter Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM10319, 8 Oct 1960 Gage Co. Taxonomy: Traditionally there were two subspecies recognized, cyaneus in Eurasia, and hudsonius in the Americas; each was raised to […]
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER
Tyrannus forficatus Status: Rare regular breeder south of Platte River Valley, rare casual elsewhere. Rare casual spring, summer, and fall visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: KU 34091, 9 Jul 1957 Thomas Co. Taxonomy: A recent revision by Chesser et al (2018) changed the order of subfamilies within the Tyrannidae, placing Tyranninae (Nebraska-occurring genera Myiarchus, Pitangus, Tyrannus) […]