Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Nebraska Bird Review Whole Issue- Volume 69 March 2001 Number 1

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

Winter Field Report, compiled by W. Ross Silcock.................................. 2

Species Accounts .................................. 3

2000-2001 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count Summary
by Stephen J. Dinsmore .................................. 19

First confirmed records of Dusky Flycatcher for Nebraska
Stephen J. Dinsmore and W. Ross Silcock .................................. 33

NOU Fall Field Days Count from Ogallala .................................. 36

First record of a Reddish Egret for Nebraska
Stephen J. Dinsmore.................................. 42

The 2000-2001 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2000-2001 Christmas Bird Count (CBC) period included nine counts in Nebraska, down one from last year. New this year was the resurrected Crawford count while Kearney and Dakota-Dix were missing (Table 1). These counts reported a total of 117 species and nearly 138,000 individuals, which is not bad for such a cold count period. Counts were scattered statewide, but most effort was in the eastern half of the state where most of the birders are. The top count again this year was Lake McConaughy with 93 species. Other excellent totals included 71 at Harlan County and 65 at Branched …

Winter Field Report, December 2000 To February 2001, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

What a difference a year makes! After all sorts of unusual midwinter reports last winter, this winter seemed more normal, as entire species actually left the state for a while. Although not extremely cold, the cool temperatures were persistent in November and December, flushing out many of the semi-hardy species and freezing most bodies of water.

There were, nevertheless, some notable tardies: a first Panhandle winter Wood Duck; a Spotted Sandpiper in December at Harlan County Res; a first December Eastern Phoebe; a third January Gray Catbird; a second December Pine Warbler; a 3rd overwintering Yellow-headed Blackbird; and the farthest …

Sulfur Amino Acid Requirements Of Broilers From Two To Five Weeks Of Age, Jill A. Townsend, H. R. (Trey) Pope, Jason L. Emmert

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Phase-feeding (PF) in broiler chickens has been researched as a way to reduce feed costs without reducing growth performance and yield. Predicted amino acid requirements for PF are generated using linear regression equations derived from best estimates of lysine (Lys), sulfur amino acid (SAA), and threonine (Thr) requirements. During the late starter and early grower periods, predicted requirements for the SAA methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) are higher than levels recommended by the National Research Council (NRC), and previous research suggests that SAA may be lowered during the grower period without sacrificing growth performance or yield. The objective of this …

Development Of The Interactive Broiler Income Spreadsheet, Tara Shofner, H. L. Goodwin Jr.

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The poultry industry has experienced unprecedented increased efficiencies since 1960 in large part due to vertical integration facilitated by production contracts between growers and integrators. As growers seek information about contract production they need to be well informed about all aspects of the process, especially potential income. Recent poultry grower complaints have surfaced as a result of incorrect expense and revenue expectations. The Interactive Broiler Income Spreadsheet (IBIS) is being developed to enable current and prospective poultry producers to better estimate income. IBIS, an unbiased Excel™ spreadsheet tool to assist in decision making regarding broiler production profitability, uses actual grower …

Vasotocin Receptor Expression In The Brain And Pituitary Gland During The Ovulatory Cycle Of The Fowl, Kelly Shaffer, Jorge A. Vizcarra, John Kirby

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Vasotocin receptors are members of seven transmembrane spanning G-protein associated receptors. Several isoforms have been recognized in mammals and birds. It has been shown that VT-1 expression occurs primarily in the brain while VT-2 expression occurs mainly in the pituitary. There is no current evidence to support that both VTR-1 and -2 are found in a single tissue. Our goal in this experiment was to see if VT-1 and VT-2 receptor mRNA expression varied in known sites of expression over the period of the ovulatory cycle of broiler breeder hens. In order to study potential changes in VT-1 and VT-2 …

Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Response And Macrophage Function During Eimeria Adenoeides Infection In Turkey Poults, Amanda D. Drake, Sarah E. Heuer, Timothy G. Kimball, Timothy O. Peters, H. David Chapman, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Intestinal coccidiosis, caused by various species of Eimeria, is an economically important disease of chickens and turkeys. The peripheral blood leukocyte response and macrophage functions during a coccidial infection in turkeys have not been defined. To examine these aspects of innate immunity during primary Eimeria infection in turkeys, 4-week-old poults were orally inoculated with either 50,000 E. adenoeides oocyst (24 infected poults) or water (24 control poults). To monitor the concentrations and proportions of white blood cells (WBC) throughout the course of infection, heparinized blood was collected from 12 infected and 12 control poults prior to inoculation (day 0), and …

Bulletin 4475 - Exotic Diseases - Poultry, Agriculture Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

An exotic disease is a disease that is not present in Australia.

If an exotic disease did occur in Australia it would cause production losses, stock deaths and stop exports of primary production. When export markets are lost they can only be re-established once it is proven the disease is eradicated.

Nebraska Bird Review (December 2000) 68(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August–November, 2000 ... 142

Species Accounts ... 144

First Record of an Arctic Tern for Nebraska ... 176

Mist Netting at Oliver State Recreation Area ... 177

Ecogeographic Aspects of Greater Prairie-Chicken Leks in Southeastern Nebraska ... 179

Index [for Volume 68: 1–4] ... 184

Subscription And Organization Information [December 2000]

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; …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Eggshell Color And Egg Specific Gravity Of The Eggs Of White Leghorns, Thomas Jerome Orgeron

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Ecogeographic Aspects Of Greater Prairie-Chicken Leks In Southeastern Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

An analysis of the distribution of 104 Greater Prairie-chicken leks in Pawnee and Johnson counties indicates that the birds favor using those mile-square sections having no more than two dwellings per section, ones that are located at least two miles from the nearest town, and at least a half-mile from the nearest lek. Relationships with the nearest water were not clear, but most leks were located at least a half-mile from it, perhaps reflecting a general avoidance of heavy cover during the display season.

Subscription And Organization Information [September 2000]

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; …

Nebraska Bird Review (September 2000) 68(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report ... 106

Species Accounts ... 107

Review of the Breeding Status of Pinyon Jay in Nebraska ... 126

Book Review [Birds of the Untamed West by James E. Ducey] ... 131

Historic Birds of Lincoln's Salt Basin Wetlands and Nine-Mile Prairie ... 132

Virginia's Warblers in Kimball County ... 137

Nestling Tree Swallow (Tachycineta Bicolor) Diets In An Upland Old Field In Western Michigan, Matthew E. Johnson, Michael P. Lombardo

Peer Reviewed Publications

We collected and identified 1852 prey items from 89 boluses delivered to 62 nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) at 14 nests in an upland old field in western Michigan. We found that 90.8% of nestling diets was insects from the Orders Diptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. We also found clam and snail shells in boluses. Over the most common brood sizes of 4-6 nestlings, brood size was inversely proportional to the number of items per bolus delivered to nestlings although mean dry and mean organic weight of boluses did not differ. Bolus composition was not influenced by weather …

Subscription And Organization Information [June 2000]

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 $S.OO 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; …

Nebraska Bird Review (June 2000) 68(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Review of the Breeding Status of Lewis's Woodpecker in Nebraska ... 50

Spring Field Report, March to May 2000 ... 55

Species Accounts ... 57

NOU Spring Count ... 81

Yellow-billed Loon at Lake McConaughy ... 88

A Century of Breeding Birds in Nebraska ... 89

Tufted Duck at Lake Ogallala: First Record for Nebraska ... 102

Polyclonal Antibodies Raised In Chickens Against Four Canine Pathogens, Amanda Kaye Brown

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

A Study On The Effects Of Microwave Radiation On Hatching Eggs Contaminated With Feces, Joseph E. Orgeron

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Subscription And Organization Information [March 2000]

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; …

Winter Field Report, December 1999 To February 2000, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This rather mild season stood out for its wintering waterfowl, most obviously at Keystone L, where Stephen Dinsmore counted an amazing 22 species of waterfowl on 29 January. Check the species accounts for the incredible wintering numbers; species were topped by Nebraska's first Tufted Duck, and assorted other goodies, such as 5 Barrow's Goldeneyes, Waterfowl, loons, and grebes also rewrote the midwinter record book, including no fewer than 3 Red-necked Grebes, Some interesting wintering birds also appeared at Harlan Co Res,

Other interesting winter records, some no doubt due to the mild fall, included Greater Yellowlegs at two locations, Franklin's …

Nebraska Bird Review (March 2000) 68(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

A Summer Survey of the Birds at Two Eastern Nebraska Wetlands ... 2

First Record of a Brambling for Nebraska ... 8

Winter Field Report, December 1999 to February 2000 ... 9

NOU Fall Field Days Count, 1999 ... 26

The 1999–2000 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count ... 30

Black-throated Gray Warbler at Oliver Reservoir ... 46

Gray Flycatcher at Oliver Reservoir ... 46

Partial Sequence Of The Cdna For The ?-Subunit Of The Inhibin Hormone In Japanese Quail, Tristan Timothy Sands

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Predation Rates On Real And Artificial Nests Of Grassland Birds, William B. Davison, Eric K. Bollinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

We estimated nesting success at real and artificial nests of grassland birds to test the influence of nest type, nest position, and egg size on predation rates. We distributed wicker nests and realistic woven-grass nests baited with a clay egg and either a Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) egg or a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) egg in four grasslands that were part of the Conservation Reserve Program in east-central Illinois. Nesting success averaged 86.5% for 12 days of exposure for artificial nests. For real nests, nesting success was markedly lower, averaging 39% over the entire nesting cycle and 59% during approximately …

Survey Of Pathogens In Poultry Litter In The United States, Mac Terzich, Melody J. Pope, Tim E. Cherry, Jessie Hollinger

Faculty Publications

Poultry litter is one of many components resulting from the production of broilers. Understanding poultry litter microbiological composition is very beneficial when attempting to improve the broiler's environmental conditions and searching for the best uses for this valuable industry by-product. The objective of this study was to collect samples of poultry litter throughout the United States and determine the presence of bacteria in the litter. Tests were conducted for total bacteria, Gram negative bacteria, Gram positive bacteria, Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, and coliforms. Poultry litter samples were taken from 12 different regions throughout the United States and were analyzed …

An Evaluation Of The Presence Of Pathogens On Broilers Raised On Poultry Litter Treatment-Treated Litter, M. J. Pope, T. E. Cherry

Faculty Publications

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the presence of salmonella, campylobacter, and generic Escherichia coli on broilers raised on Poultry Litter Treatment (PLT®)-enhanced litter in comparison with those raised on untreated litter. Two Company A farms included three houses on each farm as the treated group and three houses per farm as controls. Two complete growouts were evaluated on each farm. The Company B study included 10 farms with two paired houses per farm, one house as the treated group and one house as the control. One growout was evaluated per farm. The pathogen sampling consisted of litter sampling and …

Predation Rates On Real And Artificial Nests Of Grassland Birds, William Davison, Eric Bollinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

We estimated nesting success at real and artificial nests of grassland birds to test the influence of nest type, nest position, and egg size on predation rates. We distributed wicker nests and realistic woven-grass nests baited with a clay egg and either a Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) egg or a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) egg in four grasslands that were part of the Conservation Reserve Program in east-central Illinois. Nesting success averaged 86.5% for 12 days of exposure for artificial nests. For real nests, nesting success was markedly lower, averaging 39% over the entire nesting cycle and 59% during approximately …

Lymphocyte Profiles In Blood And Tumors Of Arkansas Rous Sarcoma Regressor And Progressor Chickens, Brant Ward

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

The Arkansas Rous Sarcoma Regressor (AR) and Progressor (AP) lines of chickens represent an excellent model to study immune responses to tumors. Both lines of chickens initially develop tumors when injected with Rous sarcoma viros (RSV) or with DNA coding for the RSV oncogene v-src (v-src DNA). AR chickens will eventually regress the tumors whereas AP chickens will allow the tumors to progress to a terminal stage. By using both v-src DNA and RSV for tumor induction, we were able to compare the immune response to tumor antigens alone and tumor antigens in combination with viral components, respectively. To study …

All About Eggs, Unknown Unknown

All Archived Publications

This publication contains information about eggs including varieties and various recipes using eggs.

Melanocortin-1-Receptor (Mcr-1) Gene Polymorphisms Associated With The Chicken E Locus Alleles, Andrew Ellett

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

The melanocortin 1-receptor (MCl-R) gene has been associated with E locus phenotypes in chickens. Variant alleles of the E locus are important for accurate down color sexing and also for the inhibition of unwanted tissue pigmentation in broilers. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) based tests for various replacement substitutions found in the published E allele sequences gave unexpected results when tested against known alleles of the E locus. To resolve these issues and gain a better understanding of how replacement substitutions in the MCl-R gene are affecting E locus phenotypes, a number of accessions of the e+, eb, wheaten ( ewh …