Ornithology Commons^™

The 1999·2000 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

The 1999·2000 Christmas Bird Count (CBC) period included ten counts in Nebraska (Table 2). These counts reported a total of 133 species, a great total for so few counts. Counts were scattered statewide, but most effort was in the eastern half of the state where most of the birders are. The top count this year was Lake McConaughy, where the combination of several lingering rarities, excellent participation, and great count weather led to a new record Nebraska count of 101 species, breaking the old record of 87 species. Other excellent totals were 85 at Harlan County, 84 at Branched Oak-Seward, …

Yellow-Billed Loon At Lake Mcconaughy, Stephen J. Dinsmore, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

On 8 August 1998 we observed a Yellow-billed loon (Gavia adamsii) at lake McConaughy in Keith County, Nebraska. We arrived at the pull-off on the south end of the dam at 6:25 p.m. and soon spotted a distant loon off the dam. On the basis of the yellow bill, head pattern, and large size, we concluded the bird was a Yellow-billed loon. We studied the bird until 7:33 p.m. and again from 9:03-9:45 a.m. on 9 August. Compared to a Common loon, this bird was huge and large-headed. The neck was very thick with an almost puffy appearance. …

A Century Of Breeding Birds In Nebraska, Jackie Canterbury, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

With the imminent publication of the Nebraska Breeding Bird Atlas and the turning of a new millennium, it is perhaps an appropriate time to survey the state of breeding birds in Nebraska. Wayne Mollhoft's summary of the N.O.U.'s Nebraska Breeding Birds Atlasing Project (Mollhoff, 2000) provides important data bases for the latter part of the past century, and the historic overview by James Ducey (1988) offers a useful basis for judging the breeding avifauna of Nebraska from about the beginning of the century. The Biological Resources Division of the U. S. Geological Survey's (WSGSBRD) annual Breeding Bird Survey data currently …

Spring Field Report, March To May 2000, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring was a fairly normal, although I heard comments about warblers being rather tough to find. The reports did confirm that for many of the migrant northwoods species. There were a few rarities, none represented first state records, however. Foremost of these were White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, blue-morph Ross's Goos~, Common Crane, Band-tailed Pigeon, Hammond's Flycatcher, and Black-throated Gray Warbler. The following birds may join these, although each may have fatal flaws, at least in the eyes of the NOURC: Red Phalarope and Slaty-backed Gull. Other interesting sightings included a Mississippi Kite in Lincoln; Gray Partridges in Scotts Bluff …

Mist Netting At Oliver State Recreation Area, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

During the fall 2000 migration, I decided to do some mist netting at Oliver State Recreation Area in Kimball County. My main emphasis was to document the occurrence of several species of Empidonax in western Nebraska. limited netting there in fall 1999 was not very successful, but I was more optimistic this year. With that in mind, I obtained the necessary federal and state permits and netted on four dates (26 August, 31 August, 7 September, and 20 September), each chosen to be immediately after the passage of a cold front.

First Record Of An Arctic Tern For Nebraska, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

On 20 September 2000, I arrived at Lake Minatare in Scotts Bluff County after the passage of a strong cold front the day before. At 11:36 a.m., I noticed two distant Sterna flying east of the lighthouse. Although the distance was great, I could see that one tern was a juvenile Forster's Tern while the other tern was clearly a different species. Even at a distance, I thought I could see a white cheek, a darker gray belly, and pale upperwings, all indications that the bird was an adult Arctic Tern. I then drove to the lighthouse and soon found …

Index To Volume 68

Nebraska Bird Review

Index

Fall Field Report, August-November, 2000, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This fall season was amazing, or as Stephen Dinsmore put it: ''The birding was simply spectacular in western Nebraska this fall," There was something for everyone, whether rarity-chasers, taxonomists, listers, or whatever. There were no fewer than four new species for the state list (pending NOURC approval, of course!), a total of 315 species reported, and fascinating information on western subspecies in the Panhandle.

Numbers of western migrants reached record levels, exemplified by fall totals of 53 Townsend's Warblers, 25 MacGillivray's Warblers, and 28 Western Tanagers. By contrast, eastern migrant warblers in the east were almost non-existent.

At L McConaughy, …

A Century Of Ornithology In Nebraska: A Personal View, Paul A. Johnsgard

Papers in Ornithology

The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union celebrated its centennial year during 1999. During more than 65 years it has published a quarterly journal, the Nebraska Bird Review, and has also published several proceedings of annual meetings as well as special or “occasional” publications. During this same century one native Nebraska bird species (Passenger Pigeon) has become extinct, another (Eskimo Curlew) has possibly become extinct, and at least 15 species apparently have been extirpated as breeding species in the state. Additionally at least seven species have begun breeding successfully in the state, either through purposeful or accidental human efforts, or by range …

Viability Of Piping Plover Charadrius Melodus Metapopulations, Jonathan H. Plissner, Susan M. Haig

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The meta-population viability analysis package, vortex, was used to examine viability and recovery objectives for piping plovers Charadrius melodus, an endangered shorebird that breeds in three distinct regions of North America. Baseline models indicate that while Atlantic Coast populations, under current management practices, are at little risk of near-term extinction, Great Plains and Great Lakes populations require 36% higher mean fecundity for a significant probability of persisting for the next 100 years. Meta-population structure (i.e. the delineation of populations within the meta-population) and inter-population dispersal rates had varying effects on model results; however, spatially-structured meta-populations exhibited lower viability than …

Pheasants Status Survey And Conservation Actin Plan, 2000-2004, Richard A. Fuller, Peter J. Garson, World Pheasant Association, Birdlife International, Iucn-Ssc Pheasant Specialist Group

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

Executive Summary

This Action Plan covers the pheasants, a group of one African species and 50 Asian ground-dwelling birds, found within Asia from the Caucasus in the west, through the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas to eastern China and Japan. They also occur through Southeast Asia to Flores, east of Java. They are largely dependent on forested habitats, making them highly vulnerable to deforestation and habitat degradation. As large, ground-dwelling birds they are also widely hunted for food, plumage, and the live bird trade. Consequently, many species are threatened. The first version of this Action Plan was published to cover …

Annual Review Of The World Pheasant Association 1999/2000, World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

President's message, Keith C. R. Howman

Chairman's report, Richard P. Howard

Annual report of Council 1999/2000

Treasurer's annual report and accounts, Ian F. Hoggarth

Conservation Committee report, Philip J. K. McGowan

Chapters and Affiliate reports

Pheasant Specialist Group report, Peter J. Garson

Partridge, Quail and Francolin Specialist Group report, John P. Carroll

Grouse Specialist Group report, Ilse Storch

Megapode Specialist Group report, René W. R. J. Dekker

Cracid Specialist Group report, Daniel M. Brooks and Stuart D. Strahl

WPA-South Asia Field Office report, Rahul Kaul

Himalayan mountain quail in India: living or extinct? Tahmina Shafiq, Salim Javed, and Rahul Kaul …

Galliformes 2000: Proceedings Of The 2nd International Galliformes Symposium (September 24-October 1, 2000 : Kathmandu And Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal), Maureen Woodburn, Philip J. Mcgowan, John P. Carroll, Abbas Musavi, Zhang Zheng-Wang

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Conference Proceedings

Plenary presentation

Molecular genetics and the conservation of threatened birds, David Parkin

Country overviews

Overview of the Galliformes of Nepal and their conservation status, Hem Sagar Baral

Conservation of lndian Galliformes through the Important Bird Areas approach, Farah Ishtiaq, Supriya Jhunjhunwala, M. Zafar-ul-Islam and Asad R. Rahmani

Status, distribution and conservation efforts of pheasants in Myanmar with special emphasis on Blyth's tragopan, Kyaw Tint and Khin Maung Zaw

Distribution and conservation status of Galliformes in Bangladesh, Md. Sohrab Uddin Sarker and Noor Jahan Sarker

Recent infonnation on the status and conservation of Galliformes in Cambodia, Tan Setha and Pich Bunnat …

Quail Iv: Proceedings Of The Fourth National Quail Symposium (May 6-9, 1997 : Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida), Leonard A. Brennan, William E. Palmer, Loren W. Burger Jr., Teresa L. Pruden

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Conference Proceedings

Fourth Herbert L. Stoddard, Sr. Memorial Game Bird Lecturer: Dr. G. R. Potts, Leonard A. Brennan

FOURTH STODDARD MEMORIAL GAME BIRD LECTURE

Using the Scientific Method to Improve Game Bird Management and Research: Time, G. R. Potts

QUAIL POPULATION RESPONSES TO HABITAT MANAGEMENT AND CHANGE

Habitat Use by Breeding Northern Bobwhites in Managed Old-Field Habitats in Mississippi, Jimmy D. Taylor, II and Loren W. Burger, Jr.

Habitat Management for Northern Bobwhites in Wisconsin: A Long-Term Assessment, LeRoy R. Petersen, Robert T. Dumke, and Barbara F. Duerksen

Effects of Filter Strips on Habitat Use and Home Range of Northern Bobwhites on …

Nebraska Bird Review (December 1999) 67(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August to November, 1999 ... 118

Species Accounts ... 120

Kids on Science (Humor) ... 139

1998 (Tenth) Report of the NOU Records Committee ... 141

Index for Volume 67: 1–4 ... 152

Index To Volume 67

Nebraska Bird Review

Index to Volume 67

1998 (Tenth) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the NOU Records Committee are described in its bylaws (NOU Records Committee 1986). The committee's purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. THE OFFICIAL LIST OF THE BIRDS OF NEBRASKA was first published in 1988 (NOU Records Committee 1988) and has been appended eight times (Mollhoff 1989, Grenon 1990, 1991, Gubanyi 1996a, 1996b, 1996c, Brogie 1997, Brogie 1998). An update of THE OFFICIAL LIST OF THE BIRDS OF NEBRASKA was last published in 1997 (NOU Records Committee 1997).

This report …

Fall Field Report, August To November, 1999, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This season, partly due to the departure of my co-writer Joel Jorgensen and partly due to mental aging, I have shortened the species accounts by including only data that add to our current knowledge base. I will not routinely list early and late dates and peak counts for each species unless they are significant; readers should refer to past issues of NBR for guidelines as to what are early or late dates and high counts. Observers are, however, urged to report early and late dates and high counts of all migrant species; it is difficult to know if a sighting …

Kids On Science

Nebraska Bird Review

The beguiling ideas about science quoted here were gleaned from essays, exams, and classroom discussions. Most were from 5th and 6th graders.

Table Of Contents And Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (December 1999) 67(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal, and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $14.00 in the United States; $18.00 for all foreign countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Prichard, NOU Librarian, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis only): Active, $15.00; Sustaining, $25.00; Student, $10.00; Family Active, $20.00; Family Sustaining, $30.00; …

Wpa News 60 (1999), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (November 1999), number 60

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Nebraska Bird Review (September 1999) 67(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June to July, 1999 ... 86

Species Accounts ... 88

The Ultraviolet Birds of Nebraska ... 103

Cooperative Whooping Crane Tracking Project (March 1999–May 1999) ... 105

1998 Nebraska Nesting Report ... 108

Three Poems by Roy Scheele ... 114

1998 Nebraska Nesting Report, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

Following a hiatus of nearly a decade, this report on the nesting birds of Nebraska reinstates a Nebraska Bird Review tradition that began with an anonymous compilation (apparently by the editor) of the notes from two observers in the 1955 breeding season (Anonymous 1956). By 1965, with the inception of the Cornell Nest Record Card Program, data was collected on standardized cards, with the completed cards being forwarded to Cornell University in New York.

I accepted responsibility for the program several years ago; but by mutual agreement with the/Nebraska Ornithologists' Union leadership, I have delayed work until the Nebraska Breeding …

Three Poems, Roy Scheele

Nebraska Bird Review

At the Kitchen Window

Prodigal

The Patience of the Hawk

Cooperative Whooping Crane Tracking Project March 1999-May 1999

Nebraska Bird Review

A peak population of 182 (164 adult/subadult and 18 juvenile) whooping cranes was reported at Aransas during the winter of 1998-99. An adult plumaged whooping crane, which wintered with sandhill cranes about 90 miles northeast of Aransas in Fort Bend County, was the record 183rd bird in the wintering flock. No birds are known to have been lost at Aransas during the winter. A 1986 colormarked female with a broken leg, last observed at Quivira NWR on December 29, 1998, was not reported during the spring migration, and is assumed to be dead. An estimated 183 whooping cranes migrated north …

The Ultraviolet Birds Of Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

That the visual range of at least some birds extends into the ultraviolet region has been known since the early 1970s, when it was first discovered in hummingbirds and pigeons. The ultraviolet region is that energy consisting of light waves shorter than Violet, and thus beyond human perception. Although UV perception has long been recognized to occur in many insects and other invertebrate groups, scientists had doubted that either birds or mammals have this ability. Instead, it was generally assumed that the vertebrate cornea provides a protective block to ultraviolet waves, perhaps because UV energy can do damage to the …

Summer Field Report, June To July, 1999, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

First of all, I want to thank Joel Jorgensen for helping write these reports for the last few years. Joel has decided to spend his limited free time on Records Committee matters; he is currently Chairman. Over the last few years, Joel has made significant contributions to Nebraska ornithology, particularly through his! meticulous counts of shorebirds in the Rainwater Basin.

This season proved interesting in terms of ranges of breeding birds, as discussed in the accounts. See, for example, Little Blue Heron, the dOWitchers. Black-billed Magpie, White-breasted Nuthatch, Sedge Wren, and the towhees. There seems to be an increasing number …

Table Of Contents And Masthead, From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1999) 67(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal, and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $14.00 in the United States; $18.00 for all foreign countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Prichard, NOU Librarian, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis only): Active, $15.00; Sustaining, $25.00; Student, $10.00; Family Active, $20.00; Family Sustaining, $30.00; …

The Ultraviolet Birds Of Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Papers in Ornithology

Our human eyesight does not allow us to perceive the world as most birds do, and that they at times might be responding to visual clues literally beyond our ken. For example, are the ultraviolet "tear-drops" on the cheeks of a Mourning Dove an important visual "target" for close-up courtship, or are they perhaps important for stimulating preening by its mate? It would be interesting to modify or eliminate these small marks, and see what behavioral effects might result. Two individual male birds that, to human eyes, might appear identical, may be of quite differing attraction to females, depending upon …

Marvelous, Mystical, Tropical Trogons, Paul A. Johnsgard, John Schmitt , Illustrator

Papers in Ornithology

f all the groups of birds in the world, few fit our ideas of “tropical forest birds” as well as the trogons and quetzals. They are found almost entirely between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, from northern Mexico to northern Argentina. Furthermore, nearly all of them depend on hollows in large trees for nest sites, except for a few species that excavate cavities in the paper-mache-like homes of tree-dwelling termites or arboreal wasp nests.Beyond that, trogons and quetzals conform to our ideas of how exotic tropical birds should appear. Nearly all of the approximately 40 species are colored iridescent …