Contopus cooperi cooperi Status: Uncommon regular spring and fall migrant east, west, and Platte River Valley, rare elsewhere in central. Documentation: UNSM 6401, 14 Jun 1901 Warbonnet Canyon, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: AOU (1998) noted that this species was previously placed in the monotypic genus Nuttallornis, as N. borealis. Nuttallornis is now merged with Contopus, where […]
PEREGRINE FALCON
Falco peregrinus anatum, F. p. tundrius Status: Uncommon regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Locally uncommon regular resident east, extirpated west. Rare casual winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimens: UNSM ZM7696 (anatum) 14 May 1915 Garden Co; UNSM ZM7695 (tundrius) 5 May 1935 near Stapleton, Logan Co. Taxonomy: There are 16-19 subspecies recognized world-wide, three of […]
AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER
Picoides dorsalis dorsalis Status: Rare casual summer visitor west. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6345, 16 Jun 1916 Scotts Bluff Co (Swenk 1918). Taxonomy: Nearctic three-toed woodpeckers (Picoides dorsalis, American Three-toed Woodpecker, and P. arcticus, Black-backed Woodpecker) are split from the Palearctic species (P. tridactylus, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker) based on genetic and vocal differences (Banks et al 2003). American […]
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER
Melanerpes carolinus Status: Common regular resident east and south, uncommon north, rare west. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6285, 9 Apr 1903 Roca, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are currently recognized (Gill et al 2022). AOU (1957) listed four subspecies, the range of the northernmost, zebra, including Nebraska. Changes Since 2000: This species has continued to expand its […]
CAROLINA PARAKEET
Conuropsis carolinensis Status: Extinct (prior to 1850s common resident south and east; Snyder and Russell 2020). Documentation: Specimen: NMNH 4614, 24-25 Apr 1856 McKissock Island, Nemaha Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized, carolinensis occupying the range east of the Appalachians south of Virginia, throughout Florida, and along the Gulf Coast west to eastern Louisiana and […]
GYRFALCON
Falco rusticolus Status: Rare casual winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: SUI 17469, 23 Feb 1885, Elk Creek, Johnson Co (DuMont 1933). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). All color morphs have been reported in Nebraska. According to Booms et al (2020), there is “Complete gradation among plumage colors, though most birds are […]