Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Subscription And Organization Information [December 2012]

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): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

Memberships in the NOU …

Winter Ecology Of Sandhill Cranes (Grus Canandensis) In Northern Mexico, Ingrid Barcelo

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) are a widespread species in North America and one of the most studied cranes in the world. However, most of the research has focused on the breeding grounds of Canada and Alaska and the staging grounds of Nebraska. Although an important proportion of the Mid-continent Population of Sandhill Cranes winters in northern Mexico, little information exists on distribution, status, and ecology of the species in Mexico. The goal of this dissertation was to provide new information on Sandhill Crane winter ecology from a regional perspective to better understand population trends. I examined the physiological …

Stopover Decisions Of Migratory Shorebirds: An Assessment Of Habitat Use, Food Availability, Behavior And Phenology, Ryan Stutzman

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Habitat loss and alteration from land use change, species invasion, and more recently, climate change has reduced biodiversity and ecosystem function worldwide. Habitat decisions have important implications to individual fitness as well as population dynamics and community structure. Resource limitation, predation, competition, and unfavorable abiotic conditions all have the potential to influence survival and future reproductive potential. Understanding how changes to ecosystem structure and function impact species and populations of conservation concern is essential for conservation delivery to be effective. Similar to many migratory species, shorebird populations are declining worldwide and declines may be related to the loss of important …

Ring-Necked Pheasant Hens Select Managed Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands For Nesting And Brood-Rearing, Ty W. Matthews, J. Scott Taylor, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has provided critical wildlife habitat for many species since 1985. However, the quality of this habitat for early successional species, such as ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), may decrease with field age. Late successional grasslands may lack valuable vegetative and structural diversity needed by pheasants, especially during nesting and brood-rearing stages. Since 2004, the United States Department of Agriculture has required new CRP contracts to include plans for mid-contract management, which could include discing and interseeding. The benefits of such practices have not been assessed, and continuation of current policy could be affected by the lack …

Summary And Comparisons Of The Fontenelle Forest And Boyer Chute Maps Stations In Nebraska, Betty Grenon, Rick Schmid

Nebraska Bird Review

This report provides results and comparisons of two Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship (MAPS) stations operated in central eastern Nebraska. MAPS is a multinational research project managed by the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) in Point Reyes, CA (http://www.birdpop.org/maps.htm). The project is designed to monitor the population trends and breeding success of breeding birds in North America. Each year, more than 500 participants throughout North America collect data (via the process of bird banding) according to strict protocols and then submit their data to IBP for analysis and interpretation. MAPS began in 1989, and similar studies have subsequently begun on …

2011 (23rd) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Records Committee (NOURC) are described in its bylaws (NOURC 2010). 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. Accidental and casual species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website www.NOUbirds.org.

All records mentioned here are available to interested persons at the NOU archives at the University of Nebraska State Museum (UNSM), Lincoln, NE. Interested parties should contact the current NOU Librarian, whose address can be found …

Nebraska Bird Review (September 2012) 80(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2012 ... 86

Summary and Comparisons of the Fontenelle Forest and Boyer Chute MAPS Stations in Nebraska ... 104

2011 (23rd) Report of the NOU Records Committee ... 112

Subscription and Organization Information ... 123

Summer Field Report, June–July 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This summer most of Nebraska was very dry, with "Exceptional Drought" everywhere but the extreme southeast, according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Drought Monitor (http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu). Although no really striking effects were noted, several bits of evidence attested to the difficult conditions. Wetlands dried up in most cases in the Rainwater Basin, reflected by a lack of Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and Black-necked Stilts, and there were no stilt nests reported. However, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons surprisingly staged an incursion, perhaps continuing to disperse northward from their customary haunts in the almost equally dry Kansas and Oklahoma. Cliff Swallow colonies may …

Subscription And Organization Information [September 2012]

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): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

Memberships in the NOU …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of September Hunting Seasons On Canada Geese In Nebraska, Scott R. Groepper, Mark P. Vrtiska, Larkin A. Powell, Scott E. Hygnstrom

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Populations of temperate-nesting Canada geese (Branta canadensis) have increased in Nebraska, USA, resulting in an increased number of nuisance and damage complaints. September hunting seasons were initiated in southeastern Nebraska in 2004 to reduce populations of Canada geese. We analyzed band recoveries from Canada geese banded in southeastern Nebraska during their hatch-year (HY) or after-hatch-year (AHY) to determine whether September hunting seasons affected survival, harvest, and recovery rates. Survival analyses revealed that HY geese had higher survival than AHY geese (SAHY = 0.696, 95% CI = 0.679–0.713; SHY = 0.896, 95% CI = 0.786–0.953) and September seasons did …

Nebraska Bird Review (June 2012) 80(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March 2012 to May 2012 ... 46

Snowy Owl Invasion of 2011–12 ... 72

Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting at Broken Bow, May 18–20, 2012 ... 77

[Correction … 77]

Subscription and Organization Information ... 83

Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting At Broken Bow

Nebraska Bird Review

The 113th Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days were held in Broken Bow May 18–20, 2011. Meetings and meals took place at the Mid-Plains Community College and were hosted by Tim Hajda. Despite the unseasonably warm spring weather that had preceded the meeting, the 50+ members and friends in attendance found 164 species. Expected species from the Sandhills and surrounding habitats that were seen included Sharp-tailed Grouse, Greater Prairie Chicken, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-faced Ibis, Long-billed Curlew, Ovenbird, and Northern Waterthrush. Less common species observed included Glossy Ibis, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel, Alder Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, …

Spring Field Report, March 2012 To May 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring was a definite mixed bag ornithologically, in large part due to the mixed bag of weather conditions. Spring Beauty flowers bloomed 10–14 days early at Fontenelle Forest (RBa). Observers were decidedly mixed in their assessments of the season; veteran observers commenting on the passerine migration noted “poorest spring for passerines that I can recall” (LE) and “the sheer numbers of birds seemed ridiculously high for this early date of May 3rd” (JR). It should be noted that the 3 May date saw record counts of a few passerine species at Fontenelle Forest: 65 American Redstarts, 60 Blackpoll Warblers, …

Correction [June 2012]

Nebraska Bird Review

Correction: In the Winter Field Report, December 2011 to February 2012, two Golden Eagles were reported from the Ponca S.P. Christmas Bird Count (March 2012 NBR, page 9). This is incorrect; no Golden Eagles were seen on the Ponca Christmas Bird Count.

Snowy Owl Invasion Of 2011–12, Joel G. Jorgensen, Lauren R. Dinan, Thomas J. Walker Jr.

Nebraska Bird Review

The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is an Arctic breeder that regularly migrates to and winters in southern Canada and the northern United States (Parmalee 1992). The number of Snowy Owls moving south and the extent and timing of southward movements in any one year are believed to be dependent on interactions between populations of Snowy Owls and lemmings, the owls’ principal food resource (Parmalee 1992). Infrequently, relatively large numbers of Snowy Owls are observed in areas or regions where few are typically observed, and individuals are observed well south of the normal winter range. These occurrences are often …

Subscription And Organization Information [June 2012]

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): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

Memberships in the NOU …

Nebraska Bird Review (March 2012) 80(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

NOU Annual Treasurer’s Report for 2011 ... 2

Winter Field Report, December 2011–February 2012 ... 3

2011–2012 Christmas Bird Counts in Nebraska ... 17

Report of a Nesting Sora (Porzana carolina) … 40

Subscription and Organization Information ... 43

2011–2012 Christmas Bird Counts

Nebraska Bird Review

Fifteen counts, one more than last year, were held during the period, and a total of 139 species, 10 fewer than last year, were found. This was a count season of record totals for the state for a number of species. Factors contributing to this include the number of counts, the number of participants and the weather. More counts (15) were run than in any previous year, and several counts (Lake McConaughy in particular) had a much greater than average number of participants. The weather prior to the count period was mild, and most of the circles had unusually warm …

Report Of A Nesting Sora (Porzana Carolina), William M. Lemburg, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

During the summer of 2008, long-time NOU member and former NOU Treasurer William (Bill) Lemburg of Cairo, Howard Co., Nebraska, discovered the nest of a Sora (Porzana carolina). On 29 July 2008, while using a small flat-bottomed boat to gather duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) on a small pond near his bird pens to feed the exotic waterfowl he raises, he noted a pair of Sora walking about, foraging atop the dense growth of duckweed. The pair ignored his presence even though, as he later discovered, he was within 10 feet of their nest. The following evening, 30 …

Color Photo Section [March 2012, Pp. 19–27]

Nebraska Bird Review

Killdeer eggs and hatchlings, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-necked Stilt nest (p. 19); Cape May Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler (p. 20); Long-billed Curlew, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Wood Duck, American White Pelicans (p. 21); Mew Gull, juvenile Northern Goshawk, Broad-winged Hawk (p. 22); Rufous Hummingbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Cedar Waxwings, Sanderlings (p. 23); Baltimore Orioles, Red Crossbill, young Rose-breasted Grosbeak (p. 24); Henslow’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Le Conte’s Sparrow (p. 25); Snowy Owl, Long-eared Owl, Great-horned Owl, Easter Screech-Owl, Burrowing Owl, and Short-eared Owl (p.26).

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report, December 31, 2011

Nebraska Bird Review

One-page spreadsheet constituting the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union treasurer's report at year end (December 31) of 2011. The grand total is $57,901.29.

Winter Field Report, December 2011 To February 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The most obvious feature of this winter’s avian movements was the number of Snowy Owls, unprecedented in living memory, that invaded the state. A tally maintained by Joel Jorgensen and Lauren Dinan of Nebraska Game and Parks indicated that over 200 snowies were found in the state, and most were documented. Not as popular with the public, but perhaps of greater scientific interest were the mid-winter reports of species normally rare at this time of year. Most notable in this respect were waterfowl, grebes, cranes, and sparrows. A read-through of these species suggests the very mild winter experienced over most …

Subscription And Organization Information [March 2012]

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): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

Memberships in the NOU …

Mid-Contract Management Of Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands Provides Benefits For Ring-Necked Pheasant Nest And Brood Survival, Ty W. Matthews, J. Scott Taylor, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields may provide good habitat for nesting and brood-rearing ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during early stages of succession. But, the success of hens in early successional CRP, relative to late successional CRP and other grassland habitats, has yet to be evaluated. The reproductive period is especially critical for populations of pheasants, and CRP’s benefits to hens and chicks may decrease as fields age because of loss of vegetative diversity, decrease in vegetation density, and accumulation of residual litter. During 2005– 2006, we evaluated spatial and temporal variation in nest and brood survival for radio-marked hen pheasants …

Rural Inhabitant Perceptions Of Sandhill Cranes In Wintering Areas Of Northern Mexico, Ingrid Barcelo, Juan Carlos Guzmán-Aranda, Felipe Chávez-Ramírez, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Trends in the mid-continent population of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) indicate that the species is increasing. A large proportion of this population winters in northern Mexico where possible conflicts between local inhabitants and cranes can occur. We conducted interviews of 40 rural inhabitants living near wetlands used by cranes in three Mexican states. All interviewees had knowledge of cranes and were capable of describing them. The arrival of cranes affected 43% of interviewees. The negative effects were mainly destroyed crops with a subsequent diminished production. Seventy percent of those affected implemented scare tactics to deter the birds, while others (15%) …

Smith’S Longspur In Knox County, Nebraska, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) is considered to be an uncommon casual spring migrant and is limited in spring to the southeast comer of Nebraska (Sharpe et al. 2001). This note provides the only known record for Smith's Longspur for spring in northeast Nebraska.

Subscription And Organization Information [December 2011]

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): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada, and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): Active Household …

First Discovery Of A Four-Egg Clutch For Mountain Plover (Charadrius Montanus) In Nebraska, Bartholomew L. Bly, Travis Wooten

Nebraska Bird Review

On 27 May 2010, the first documented Mountain Plover nest in Nebraska to contain a clutch of four eggs was documented in a fallow strip of a dryland crop field in southern Kimball County. Mountain Plover typically have a clutch size of 3 eggs, though clutches with 1 and 2 eggs are observed in approximately 15% of nesting attempts (Knopf and Wunder 2006). Clutches with 4 eggs are rare and have been reported to occur in less than 1% of the population (Knopf and Wunder 2006). Five 4-egg clutches have been reported in Colorado and one in Montana (see Knopf …

Index To Volume 79

Nebraska Bird Review

Ahlschwede, Carla 71

Allen, Edward 83

Allison, Scott 32

Alsop, FJ 36

American Ornithologists' Union 109–110

Anderson, BW 36

Arkansas Audubon Society 36

Avocet, American 55, 68, 73, 89, 125

Fall 2011 Bird Banding At Wildcat Hills Nature Center, Colin Woolley

Nebraska Bird Review

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory has been operating a fall migration bird banding station at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center in Scotts Bluff Co. since 2007. In 2011, during our fifth year of banding, we captured a few new species, had new high totals for other species, and had a record number new high total of recaptures. Weather permitting, we banded on weekdays from August 31 through October 10 for five hours per day beginning soon after sunrise. We caught and banded 735 individual birds of 32 species. We banded two new species for the station in 2011: one Red-eyed Vireo …