Ornithology Commons^™

2023 Limpkin At Crystal Cove Park, Dakota County, Ne, Bill Huser

Nebraska Bird Review

On the morning of October 7, 2023, I observed Nebraska’s second Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) at Crystal Cove Park in South Sioux City, and the bird was subsequently seen by several other observers throughout that afternoon. Photo and video records were obtained (https://ebird.org/checklist/S151656716). The summer and fall of 2023 brought fourteen sightings to Iowa, though it is impossible to determine how many birds were involved (eBird, 2023). One of those sightings occurred in the northwestern part of the state at Bacon Creek Park in Sioux City when a single Limpkin was independently reported by two observers on …

2023 Coordinated Spring Survey Of Mid-Continent Sandhill Cranes, Terry Liddick

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The aerial transect portion of the coordinated spring survey of mid-continent Sandhill cranes was conducted on March 22, 2023 in Nebraska’s Central Platte and North Platte River valleys (United States). The 2023 photo-corrected aerial estimate is 1,259,000 birds. Outside the traditional aerial transect portion, observers conducted ground surveys during the period March 20–22. From these regions, observers in the Official Survey Area (OSA) of Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming reported an additional 25,363 cranes. The 2023 total estimate (1,284,500) increased 43.1% from 2022. The current three-year average (2021–2023 with no photo correction in 2021), based on photo corrected estimates …

Wpa News 121 (2023), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Summer 2023), number 121

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Preliminary Evidence Of Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure In American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) In The Western United States, Evan R. Buechley, Dave Oleyar, Jesse L. Watson, Jennifer Bridgeman, Steven Volker, David A. Goldade, Catherine E. Swift, Barnett A. Rattner

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Although there is extensive evidence of declines in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) population across North America, the cause of such declines remains a mystery. One hypothesized driver of decline is anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) exposure, which could potentially cause mortality or reduced fitness. We investigated AR exposure in wild American Kestrels in Utah, USA. We collected and tested for AR residues in liver samples (n = 8) from kestrels opportunistically encountered dead and in blood samples (n = 71) from live wild kestrels, both nestlings and adults. We found high detection rates in both tissues. Adult …

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting. Valentine, May 5-7, 2023

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days was held in Valentine on May 5-7, 2023, with 50 in attendance. Our meetings and meals took place in the Niobrara Lodge. Field trips were led by Robin Harding, William Flack, T. J. Walker, Dave Heidt, Mark Brogie and Don and Janis Paseka. Destinations included Thomas Creek WMA, Cub Creek Recreation Area, the Niobrara Valley Preserve (TNC Property), the river road from Meadville (SW of Springview) to Norden, the Valentine City Park, Valentine Fish Hatchery, Ft. Niobrara NWR, Anderson Bridge WMA, the Minnechaduza Creek crossing north of Kilgore, Steer Creek, Merritt Reservoir, …

Rethinking The Status And Temporal Occurrence Of The American Woodcock In Nebraska Because Of Its Unusual Life History, Joel G. Jorgensen, Stephen J. Brenner

Nebraska Bird Review

Historical distribution and range expansion -- We reviewed existing information to evaluate conclusions by previous authors (e.g., Sharpe et al. 2001, Silcock and Jorgensen 2023) that woodcock have expanded their range west since settlement of Nebraska by Euro-Americans. We also provide additional context about the species’ distribution over time using regional resources.

Temporal occurrence and abundance -- We used data from woodcock outfitted with satellite transmitters 2021-2022 and compared it with occurrence data from two sources, eBird (eBird.org 2023) from all years through 2022 and the SFRs in the Nebraska Bird Review 1994–2019. We chose not to use SFR data …

Spring Field Report, March - May 2023, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

First off, I want to reiterate that reports compiled for this Spring Seasonal Report are evaluated against current knowledge as presented in Birds of Nebraska-Online (“BONO”; https://birds.outdoornebraska.gov/). Species whose reports do not add new information on distribution, early or late dates, etc., are listed as having “Routine reports”. Please let me know at [email protected] if you have information that is not in BONO, or if you have additions and/or corrections of information in BONO. Another reminder: if evidence of breeding is observed, please enter the appropriate descriptor in your eBird checklist under “Breeding and Behavior Code”. These descriptors can be …

The Nebraska Bird Review: A Magazine Of Ornithology Of The Nebraska Region. Volume 91 June 2023 Number 2

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March - May 2023 by W. Ross Silcock …46

Correction to 2022-2023 Christmas Bird Count tally ….70

Rethinking the Status and Temporal Occurrence of the American Woodcock in Nebraska because of its Unusual Life History by Joel G. Jorgensen and Stephen J. Brenner …71

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting in Valentine, May 5-7, 2023 …..84

Subscription and Organization Information …91

Wpa News 120 (2023), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Spring 2023), number 120

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Annual Treasurer's Report For 2022, Jan Johnson

Nebraska Bird Review

No abstract provided.

The Nebraska Bird Review: A Magazine Of Ornithology Of The Nebraska Region. Volume 91, Number 1. March 2023, Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2022 - Feb. 2023 by W. Ross Silcock

Annual Color Photo Section

Annual Treasurer's Report for 2022 by Jan Johnson

Subscription and Organization Information

2022-2023 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

Sixteen counts were run in the 2022-2023 CBC season. Because of weather and rescheduling issues, the Crawford, Harrison, and Harlan County counts were cancelled. Eight of the counts were completed during the first week of the count period and the other eight were scattered throughout the remainder of the count period. An early December cold snap seemed to drive many of the birds south, but the weather on actual count days was fairly benign: mostly dry with an average high of 34˚F and an average low of 19˚F and with three circles reporting light snow. The total number of species …

The Nebraska Bird Review Annual Color Photo Section

Nebraska Bird Review

Virginia Rail and chick, Washboard Road, North Platte, Lincoln Co., 28 June 2023. Photo by Boni Edwards.

American Coot, Eagle Scout Lake, Hall Co., April 2020. Photo by Colleen Childers.

Hudsonian Godwit, Marsh Wren Community Wetlands, Lancaster Co., 21 May 2022. Photo by Kirill Belashchenko.

American Avocet, N.P. Dodge Park, Omaha, Douglas Co., 2 May 2023. Photo by Thane Dinsdale

Female Cape May Warbler, photographer's backyard, Bellevue, Sarpy Co., 10 May 2022. Photo by Loren Padelford.

Male Cape May Warbler, Ft. Niobrara NWR, Cherry Co., 13 May 2022. Photo by Gordon Warrick.

Tennessee Warbler, Fontenelle Forest Wetlands, Sarpy Co., 24 …

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2022 - Feb. 2023, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Since this is a Winter Seasonal Report, it seems appropriate to lead off with notable reports of occurrences that might be considered unexpected for midwinter, of which there were several. A range of species was involved, suggesting an encompassing cause such as climate change. Of interest were northerly wintering groups of waterfowl including Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Ringnecked Duck, and Hooded Merganser. Reports of wintering Tundra Swans, Whitewinged Doves, and Lesser Goldfinches continue to increase, and numerous Redwinged Blackbirds in the northeast in midwinter were unexpected. Also quite unexpected were two Sandhill Cranes wintering in the east, the state’s first …

Remembering Paul Johnsgard, Linda R, Brown, Josef Kren

Zea E-Books Collection

Paul A. Johnsgard (1931–2021) was a friend of many, an artist, prolific author, teacher, and humble admirer of all living creatures. It was impossible to find someone at Nebraska Audubon Society or Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union meetings who did not know Paul Johnsgard. His more than 100 published books made him known not just in a community of ornithologists, birdwatchers, and bird lovers in the United States but also abroad. He was a world-renowned ornithologist and naturalist who remained deeply embedded in his local culture and its prairie environment.

We invited about 75 people to write a short memory of Paul. …

Potential Effect Of The Proposed R-Project Transmission Line On The Aransas-Wood Buffalo Whooping Crane Population, Jeb A. Barzen, J. Michael Engels, Lisa H. Elliott, Douglas H. Johnson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) frequently encounter electrical transmission or distribution lines located throughout most of their range. We estimated the probability of at least 1 whooping crane being killed by colliding with a proposed transmission line (the R-project) planned to cross the primary whooping crane migration corridor in Nebraska. We also estimated the number of individuals that might be killed by the line. We used telemetry data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners, collected from 2009 to 2018, as well as published data, to estimate: 1) the probability that a migrating whooping crane would stop within the …

Thirteen-Year Status Of The Louisiana Nonmigratory Whooping Crane Reintroduction, Eva K. Szyszkoski, Sara E. Zimorski, Hillary L. Thompson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

During 2011–2023, 167 captive-reared whooping cranes (Grus americana) were released in the Louisiana Nonmigratory Population: 157 were costume-reared and 10 were parent-reared. There were 5 additional whooping cranes translocated to Louisiana from the Florida Nonmigratory Population. Approximately 68.7% of released cranes survived 1 year post-release and 51.3% survived 3 years following release. During 2011–2017, large cohorts of captive-reared cranes were released and the population size increased rapidly. The population grew more slowly during 2018–2023 when cohort sizes were smaller but there were more wild-hatched cranes that fledged. There were 114 mortalities, and of the 85 where remains were recovered, the …

Releases Of After Hatch Year And Adult Whooping Cranes In The Reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population, Stephanie M. Schmidt, Hillary L. Thompson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) experiences low recruitment and high mortality. To support and supplement this population’s growth, ex-situ breeding and release programs prioritizing the release of juvenile whooping cranes (121.1 ± 2 days after hatch) are used. However, extenuating circumstances have resulted in the release of 4 after-hatch-year and 1 adult whooping crane between 2018 and 2022. Although the sample size is small, these unique cases are informative for future management and release, revealing lower survival 1 year after release (20%) than traditional release methods (parent-reared: 69.0%; costume-reared: 64.4%), and average post-release survival of …

Comparisons Of Habitat Use Between Parent-Reared And Costume-Reared Whooping Cranes In The Eastern Migratory Population, 2012–2023, Mary Anderson, Glenn H. Olsen, Susie Dunham, Hillary L. Thompson, Marianne M. Wellington

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Different rearing and release methods have been used to introduce captive-raised whooping cranes (Grus americana) into eastern North America. One method, parent-rearing, coupled with direct release into the wild, offers several benefits over costume-rearing cranes coupled with guided migration by ultralight aircraft. However, little research has compared how these different rearing methods may influence post-release behavior of cranes in the wild. We compare habitat use between costume and parent-reared cranes. Habitat use is an expression of behavior, where cranes choose which habitats in which to spend their time. Using leg-band-mounted satellite transmitters, we documented habitat use patterns of costume-reared and …

Maximum Daily Dispersal Distance Of Wintering Whooping Cranes At Goose Pond Fish And Wildlife Area, Indiana, Alicia M. Ward, Hillary M. Thompson, Allisyn-Marie T. Y. Gillet, Amy J. Kearns, Andrew J. Caven

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) are an endangered species consisting of 4 populations, including the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP), a reintroduced experimental population that is not yet self-sustaining. The EMP breeds in Wisconsin and winters primarily in Indiana and Alabama. The International Crane Foundation and its partners release captive-reared chicks into the EMP annually to support the growth of the population. This population continues to face multiple threats throughout its flyway, including habitat loss and degradation, and collision mortalities. By analyzing global positioning system (GPS) data from whooping cranes at a primary wintering site, Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area (FWA, …

The Diets Of Wild And Reintroduced Whooping Cranes, Heather A. Neri, Glenn H. Olson, Eric C. Kindahl, Susan L. Carney

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We characterized the diets of the recently established Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) and the extant Aransas-Wood Buffalo population (AWBP). Starting in 2013, frozen proventriculus and ventriculus contents from previously collected dead whooping cranes from both populations were examined to identify dietary items and quantity. EMP whooping cranes (n = 29) consumed benthic macro-invertebrates, beetles, crabs/crayfish, vegetation, seeds, mollusks, and unidentifiable vertebrates. The diets of AWBP whooping cranes (n = 7) examined included all the same food items except benthic macro-invertebrates. Both populations also consumed a variety of non-food items, including plastic and metal. Our data suggests that the wild and …

Lead And Mercury Exposure In Eastern Whooping Cranes: Cause For Concern?, Barry K. Hartup, Anne E. Lacy, Hillary L. Thompson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The dietary uptake of lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) risks limiting population growth of reintroduced whooping cranes (Grus americana) in the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP). We evaluated these potentially toxic trace elements in blood and marginal covert feathers of wild-hatched juvenile and adult cranes sampled in the Wisconsin breeding range between 2016 and 2023. Samples were obtained at live capture events, and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry for Pb and Total Hg (THg). Blood Pb concentrations from adults were greater than those of juveniles, but feather Pb concentrations were similar between age classes. Blood and feather THg concentrations were …

Evidence Of Polygyny In A Greater Sandhill Crane, Gary L. Ivey, Chad W. August

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

No abstract provided.

Sandhill Crane Lead Poisonings Linked To A Wetland Restoration, Andrew J. Caven, Joshua D. Wiese

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Toward the end of the 2018 spring sandhill crane migration on the Platte River in Nebraska, we detected 7 dead cranes near a recently restored wetland within 200 m of the river’s main channel. Topographic recontouring of the soils had occurred in January of 2018 and the area was not yet revegetated. The area had formerly hosted an excavated pond where hunting occurred for many years prior to the 1991 ban on lead ammunition for waterfowl harvest. Two of the cranes with no physical signs of trauma were submitted for necropsy. The cause of death in both cases as lead …

Predators And Scavengers Of Eastern Migratory Whooping Crane Eggs, Hillary L. Thompson, Nicole M. Gordon

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Eastern Migratory Population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) is not yet self-sustaining, primarily due to low recruitment. We deployed 81 cameras on whooping crane nests in Wisconsin during 2019–2024 to determine the fate of each nest. We identified 7 instances of depredation of crane eggs and 10 of abandoned eggs that were later scavenged. Coyotes (Canis latrans, n = 3 nests) and raccoons (Procyon lotor, n = 2) were the primary predators of crane eggs. We documented common ravens (Corvus corax, n = 2 nests), American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos, n = 2), a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, n = …

Correlates Of Sandhill Crane Off-Channel Roosting Behavior In The Platte Valley, Bethany L. Pstrom, Andrew J. Caven

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

During spring migration, more than 1 million sandhill cranes stage along the Platte River in central Nebraska. Appropriate river flows can support ideal depths for roosting and provide protection from terrestrial predators. Cranes and other waterbirds occasionally roost outside of the river channel or reduce diurnal activity therein but conditions under which this occurs remain poorly defined. Despite the ability to influence flows in this highly managed river system, many hydrological factors remain outside of managers’ control. We examine the proportion of sandhill cranes detected in nonriverine habitat during weekly aerial surveys from mid-February to mid-April from 2016 to 2023. …

Population Status Of Pacific Coast Canadian Sandhill Cranes Along The Lower Columbia River, Oregon And Washington, Usa, Mark A. Stern, Alex Chmielewski, Ginny A. Stern, Kenneth J. Popper, Jen L. Newlin, Mark A. Nebeker, Gary L. Ivey, Gary L. Ivey

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Pacific coast Canadian sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis rowani) breed in coastal regions of British Columbia and southeast Alaska and are considered a unique population within the Pacific Flyway. These cranes stage during fall migration along the Lower Columbia River at Sauvie Island Wildlife Area (SIWA), Oregon, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (RNWR), Washington, and on adjacent lands. Peak numbers of cranes congregate here in late September through mid-October, with most of these cranes continuing south to winter in the Central Valley of California. During 2003–2024, we conducted single-day counts annually of cranes during peak fall migration as cranes flew into their …

Mississippi Sandhill Crane Conservation Update 2020–2023, Scott G, Hereford, Angela J. Dedrickson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Mississippi sandhill crane is an endangered non-migratory subspecies that primarily occurs on its namesake national wildlife refuge. To manage crane habitat on the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge during 2020–2023, 8,885 ha were treated with prescribed burns, 648 ha of woody vegetation was removed, 234 ha of invasive plants were chemically treated, and 400 ha were mowed. There were 368 target predators removed, including coyotes and bobcats. Forty-six captive-reared juveniles were released. We detected an average of 64 nests per year, with a range of 63–69, the latter a record high. A total of 37 chicks fledged for …

Nocturnal Winter Roost Site Use By Whooping Cranes In The Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population, Matti R. Bradshaw, Carter G. Crouch, Katrina M. Fernald, Andrew J. Caven, Dorn M. Moore, Sundas Rehman

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Evaluating site use and fidelity is vital to understanding roosting area needs for individual birds. We used data from wintering Aransas-Wood Buffalo population whooping cranes tracked with Platform Transmitting Terminals to identify roost sites in Texas. We analyzed 86 unique winters across 42 individuals and used a hierarchical clustering approach to group roost locations that were within 100 m of each other to identify unique roost sites by individual (n = 2,608). We found that on average, whooping cranes used 30.3 ± 1.71 SE roost sites per winter (range 8–70; 30 September and 2 May) and spent on average 4.4 …

Over-Summering Of Migratory Whooping Cranes On Their Wintering Grounds, Paityn C. Macko, Stephanie M. Schmidt, Carter G. Crouch, Arianna N. Barajas, Alicia M. Ward, Hillary L. Thompson, Matti R. Bradshaw, Elizabeth H. Smith

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Over-summering of migratory bird populations on wintering grounds may occur when individuals forgo migration and remain in non-breeding or wintering habitats. We summarized all reported instances of migratory whooping cranes (Grus americana) over-summering on the wintering grounds during 1891–2024. We report 9 individuals over-summering from the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP), 4 reports from Texas during 1891–1941, and between 1–4 individuals over-summering across 23 summers from the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population (AWBP) post-1941. Although there were many instances of over-summering without clear proximate causes, some documented causes or contributing factors across both populations include injury, disease, death or injury of a mate, …