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The Nebraska Bird Review (December 2025) 93(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Changes to The Nebraska Bird Review, by Janis Paseka

Fall Field Report, August–November 2025, by W. Ross Silcock

First definitive records of Hermit Thrush and Wilson’s Warbler subspecies for Nebraska, by Stephen J. Brenner and Joel G. Jorgensen

Ogallala Fall Field Days, Sept. 26–28, 2025

Index to Volume 93

Subscription and Organization Information

Index To Volume 93

Nebraska Bird Review

Adams, Morgan
Aguiar: Maritza, Stephanie
Albright, Don
Alexander: Jeff, Jan
Aliferis, Taylor
Allard, Savannah
Allen, Edward
Allison, Betty
Altman, Dakota
Alvarado, A. H.
Ammon, E. M.
Anandan, Sampath Kumar
Andersen, Brett
Anderson: Ann, Chris, Will
Andrews, Ryan
Anhinga
Ani, Groove-billed
Annunziata, Laura
Armstrong, Nancy
Augustine, Jackie
Aurilio, James
Avocet, American

. . .

Zagst: Fred, Kay
Zeillemaker, Fred
Zemaitis, William
Zicafoose, Kirby
Zonotrichia leucophrys: gambelii, leucophrys, oriantha

Ogallala Fall Field Days, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2025 NOU Fall Field Days were held in Ogallala on September 26–28, with about 80 in attendance. The programs were held at the Quality Inn, and the meeting was planned by Boni Edwards, Dave Cunningham, and Paul Pearson. Field trips were led by Tobin and Keegan Brown, Jacob Cooper and UNK ornithology students, Joel Jorgensen and Stephen Brenner, T. J. Walker, and Thane Dinsdale. Destinations included various sites around Lake McConaughy, Lake Ogallala, Cedar Point Biological Station, Sutherland Reservoir SRA, Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Crescent Lake NWR, Arthur Co and various Sandhills lakes. The total species count was …

First Definitive Records Of Hermit Thrush And Wilson’S Warbler Subspecies For Nebraska, Stephen J. Brenner, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

During the fall of 2025, we initiated a pilot migratory bird-banding project in the Nebraska Panhandle. While the project’s goals included examining species composition, volume, and body condition of migratory birds at the western edge of the state compared to the eastern edge of the state, we also used this project to document the occurrence of subspecies and species which are very challenging or impossible to identify through field observation. Here, we report on the first definitive records of two subspecies in Nebraska.

On 16 September 2025, SJB banded an adult male Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) that was …

Fall Field Report, August–November 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

As in previous fall seasons, by far the most modifications to BONO came from late departure dates; around 87 species were included, no fewer than 13 of these setting record late dates, notably Eastern Whip-poor-will, Mountain Plover, Brown Thrasher (north), Henslow’s Sparrow (flight call only), and Orchard Oriole.

Although this is a Fall Seasonal Report, noted or suggested breeding activity is of interest. Exciting were the 2nd and 3rd presumed breeding records of Black-chinned Hummingbird and, in Dodge Co, the 5th record of breeding by Black-bellied Whistling-Duck. Perhaps the strangest west to east occurrence was a Golden Eagle adventure in …

Changes To The Nebraska Bird Review, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

As of this issue, The Nebraska Bird Review has been in existence for 93 years, looking very much now as it did when it began in 1933. However, due to the increasing costs of printing and postage, there will be some changes in its future. Our newsletter, The Burrowing Owl, is already provided online to our members, in a user-friendly and informative form. Future issues of The Nebraska Bird Review will also utilize a digital format to offer a more timely and colorful publication.

This is the final issue for which Ross Silcock will be compiler of the seasonal …

The Official List Of The Birds Of Nebraska: 2024, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The duties of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC 2010) include:

A. The committee shall publish an official list of the birds of Nebraska.
B. The official list will include all those species whose occurrence has been reported in Nebraska (and approved by the NOURC).
C. The committee shall keep the official list current.
D. The committee shall publish a list of species for which details are requested with every sighting reported.

The 2024 NOURC has completed the above-described duties, and the following is a result of its endeavors.

The “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska” was last …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

I have mentioned previously the breeding categories that are available to observers in eBird checklists. This database is becoming more comprehensive and useful, and I encourage observers to use this eBird feature.

Usefulness of Merlin-derived checklists continues to be an issue. As an example, Merlin seems to love White-winged Doves; there were 52 undocumented Merlin reports of this species this summer, no doubt some correctly identified and acceptable if observers had taken a minute to add even minimal observation details to support Merlin’s identifications.

A vexing issue for me is determining the status of midsummer (i.e. between spring and fall …

The Nebraska Bird Review (September 2025) 93(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2025, by W. Ross Silcock

First Confirmed Nebraska Breeding Record of the Common Raven (Corvus corax) since the 19th Century, by Eugene A. Huryn and Jacob C. Cooper

2024 (36th) Report of the NOU Records Committee, by Mark A. Brogie

The Official List of the Birds of Nebraska: 2024, compiled by Mark A. Brogie

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2024 (36th) 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. Species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website: www.NOUbirds.org.

Starting in 2020, the NOURC decided to deal mainly with those species deemed as Accidental on the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska.” Casual species and out-of- range species are now summarized in the “Seasonal Reports” of the …

First Confirmed Nebraska Breeding Record Of The Common Raven (Corvus Corax) Since The 19th Century, Eugene A. Huryn, Jacob C. Cooper

Nebraska Bird Review

In Nebraska, the Common Raven was likely widespread prior to 1900, being codistributed with the American Bison (Bison bison). Records in this time are spotty, but consistent. Thomas Say reported a nearly fledged brood—the only confirmed breeding record in this period—at Fort Calhoun in Washington County on May 12, 1820. A Common Raven was collected at Fort Randall, on the Missouri River just north of the modern Nebraska–South Dakota border, in the fall of 1857 during the Lieutenant Warren Expeditions. Another specimen, now lost, was collected by J. B. Hasty in 1899 in Arapahoe, Furnas County. Bruner et …

An Unusual Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus Buccinator) In Nebraska: Albinism Or Leucism?, Jacob C. Cooper, Peggy M. Huss, Eugene A. Huryn, Cody Mcgregor

Nebraska Bird Review

On 26 January 2025, we observed a large mixed flock of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) and Tundra Swans (C. columbianus) at Hansen Reservoir ca. 7 miles (11 km) NNW of North Platte along the east side of Nebraska Highway 97. The flock of 158 swans consisted of 4 “Whistling” Tundra Swans (C. c. columbianus), 153 typical Trumpeter Swans, and one individual that we were not immediately able to identify. Our unknown swan was in the company of a family group of Trumpeter Swans but immediately stood out due to its broad yellow base of …

Nou Tri-State Meeting—South Sioux City [Spring 2025 Nou Meeting Species Tally]

Nebraska Bird Review

Bird species tally (185) for the Spring 2025 NOU Tri-State Meeting, South Sioux City (Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Tri-State Meeting with Iowa Ornithologists’ Union and South Dakota Ornithologists’ Union, South Sioux City, Nebraska, May 16–18, 2025)

Abstracts Of Posters Presented At South Sioux City Nou Meeting

Nebraska Bird Review

A scientific poster session featuring the work of 9 ornithological researchers from UN-Kearney, USD-Vermillion and Hitchcock Nature Center was held Friday evening. Thanks to Dr. Jacob Cooper from UNK, Dr. David Swanson from USD, and the students who participated.

Wandering from the River: On- and Off-River Abundance of Interior Least Terns along the 59-Mile Reach of the Missouri National Recreational River. Zoe Donelan, Hannah Slattery, Kyle Jorgensen, and David L. Swanson, University of South Dakota, Department of Biology.

Preliminary Results of Raptor Migration Monitoring at Hitchcock Nature Center. Kellie Hayden, Jerry Toll, and Sandy Reinken, Hitchcock Nature Center, Pottawattamie Conservation, …

Spring Field Report, March–May 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Perhaps the most important takeaway this spring is the continuing phenomenon of large numbers of species with early spring arrival dates. Although about half as many as 2024, there were 64 examples of either tied or new early arrival dates, most obviously of insectivores such as swifts, flycatchers, vireos, swallows, pipits, longspurs, and 10 warbler species. Among these, record or near-record early were Whip-poor-will, Black-necked Stilt, Marbled Godwit, Black Tern, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Rock Wren, Gray Catbird in central, Spotted Towhee in north and west, and Hooded Warbler.

Following along logically perhaps with early arrival dates were a number …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Tri-State Meeting With Iowa Ornithologists' Union And South Dakota Ornithologists' Union, South Sioux City, Nebraska, May 16-18, 2025

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Spring Meeting was held at the Salvation Army Western Plains Camp in South Sioux City, Nebraska, in conjunction with the IOU and SDOU, with approximately 180 attending. The organizers of the meeting included Chris Anderson and Mark Schmidtbauer from South Dakota, Tyler Harms and Kevin Murphy from Iowa, and Ruth Stearns, Joel Jorgenson, and Paul Pearson from Nebraska.

A scientific poster session featuring the work of 9 ornithological researchers from UN-Kearney, USD-Vermillion, and Hitchcock Nature Center was held Friday evening. Thanks to Dr. Jacob Cooper from UNK, Dr. David Swanson from USD, and the students who participated.

Field …

The Nebraska Bird Review (June 2025) 93(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March–May 2025, by W. Ross Silcock

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting in South Sioux City, May 16–18, 2025

Abstracts of posters presented at Spring 2025 NOU Meeting

Spring 2025 NOU Meeting Species Tally

An Unusual Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) in Nebraska: Albinism or Leucism? by Jacob C. Cooper, Peggy M. Huss, Eugene A. Huryn, and Cody McGregor

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The Nebraska Bird Review (March 2025) 93(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, December 2024–February 2025, by W. Ross Silcock
2024–2025 Christmas Bird Counts, by Don Paseka
Annual Color Photo Section
Annual Treasurer’s Report for 2024, by Jan Johnson
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2024–2025 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

For the second year in a row, all twenty CBCs [Christmas Bird Counts] were run during the 2024–2025 season. The weather was generally cooperative, although five circles reported fog and two others had rain. Branched Oak-Seward was postponed a week due to icy conditions on the originally scheduled day. The average high temperature for all circles on count day was 41 and the average low temperature was 22. Because December had remained relatively mild, there was a good deal of open water, which encouraged many species of water birds to remain. Consequently, most of the circles reported species totals higher …

Annual Color Photo Section

Nebraska Bird Review

The following seven pages show examples of this year’s theme: birds feeding or carrying food.

Osprey with striped bass
Spotted Sandpiper with beetle
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher with insect
Male Pine Grosbeak with green ash seeds
Merlin eating sparrow
Whooping Crane carrying ear of corn
Yellow-billed Cuckoo with harvestman spider
Black-billed Magpie eating grain
Red-tailed Hawk with plains garter snake
Summer Tanager with hackberry emperor butterfly
Cattle Egret with bullfrog
Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk eating garter snake
Red-breasted Merganser eating fish
Juvenile White Ibis eating unidentified item
Bohemian Waxwing eating crab apples
Rose-breasted Grosbeak eating sunflower seeds
Loggerhead Shrike eating dragonfly
Yellow-crowned Night …

Winter Field Report, December 2024–February 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Since I started a few years ago to compare each season’s reports with the status of each species as presented in BONO (Species Accounts – Birds of Nebraska – Online), I had expected that “Routine reports” would apply to an increasing number of species as the BONO database firmed up, but this hasn’t happened. My comments from last winter continue to be valid this winter, now for the third winter in a row: As was the case for winter 2022–2023, the big general story was the large number of reports of tardy fall migrants and unexpectedly northerly occurrences in mid-winter… …

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report, December 31, 2024, Jan Johnson

Nebraska Bird Review

No abstract provided.

Fall Field Report, August–November 2024, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

First off, I should reiterate that records are only mentioned in this Introduction and in the text when they add to or fine-tune data included in BONO (Birds of Nebraska – Online (outdoornebraska.gov). It was my expectation that as the number of birders and in particular those reporting to eBird continue to increase, gaps in the database will be filled and my job will become simpler. However, this expectation is yet to be realized, likely due to increasing movements and activity among birds that appears to be due to increasing severity of weather events, such as heat, cold, and drought, …

First Breeding Confirmation For Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) Along The Big Bend Reach Of The Platte River, Jacob C. Cooper, Cody Mcgregor, Letitia M. Reichart, Janet Steele

Nebraska Bird Review

The Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is a highly nomadic species of North American nuthatch prone to large movements across the entire continent (Ghalambor and Martin 2020). This behavior has resulted in both a lack of geographic variation across the continent and propensity to colonize isolated patches of suitable habitat (Ghalambor and Martin 2020). In the Bessey District of the Nebraska National Forest (NNF), Red-breasted Nuthatches were one of the first coniferous-forest bird species to colonize and begin breeding in the isolated planted stands of pine (Zimmer 1913, Bray 1994). Despite the increasing number of records for the species …

Index To Volume 92

Nebraska Bird Review

Able, K. A. 131
Adams, H. 88
Alexander, Jan 33
Allard, Savannah 33
Allen: C.R. 167; Edward 58
Allison, Betty 34
Altman, Dakota 33
Ames, Cheryl 68
Amy, Peter 68
Anderson: Ann 157; Brett 32, 34; Logan 61; Rachel 33; Will 125
Andersson, Justin 34
Ani, Groove-billed 134
Archer, Kellen 33
Arends, Jim 34
Audubon, John J. 18, 19, 20
Austgen, Jane 34
Avocet, American 58, 92, 111, 148, 169

. . .

Zach, Joel 34
Zicafoose, Kirby 32
Zimmer, J.T. 167
Zimmerman, Kelsey 63
Zoller, Lawrence 61
Zonotrichia leucophrys: leucophrys 16, 72; oriantha 16, 72

Mccook Fall Field Days, Sept. 20–22, 2024, Gary Roberts

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2024 NOU Fall Field Days were held in McCook on September 20–22, with approximately fifty-one people in attendance. The programs were held at McCook Community College Student Union. A special thanks to Boni Edwards and Jan Johnson for planning the meeting.

Field trips were led by Bill Flack—Medicine Creek Reservoir and Cambridge Park, Robin Harding—Red Willow Reservoir and Culbertson Trail, Joel Jorgenson—Swanson Reservoir and Hitchcock County, and T.J. Walker—Rock Creek Recreation Area and Dundy County. Counties included were Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Lincoln, Perkins, and Red Willow.

A total of 139 species were observed with notable sightings …

The Nebraska Bird Review (December 2024) 92(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August–November 2024, by W. Ross Silcock

First Breeding Confirmation for Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) along the Big Bend Reach of the Platte River, by Jacob C. Cooper, Cody McGregor, Letitia M. Reichart, and Janet Steele

McCook Fall Field Days, Sept. 20–22, 2024, by Gary Roberts

Index to Volume 92

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Correcting The Record: Subspecific Identification Of Nebraska’S Lone Common Eider (Somateria Mollissima), Sam Manning, Joel G. Jorgensen, Stephen J. Brenner, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

In late November or early December 1967, Roger Guenther harvested a Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) on Maloney Canal between Maloney and Sutherland in Lincoln County, Nebraska. The head and a single foot from the carcass were deposited at the University of Nebraska State Museum via the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Nebraska Fish and Game Department (now the Game and Parks Commission). Dr. Jean Tate prepared the parts, which were inventoried as specimen #ZM-12341 in the UNSM. Dr. Paul Johnsgard purportedly took this specimen to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for identification purposes, and concluded …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2024, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This was an intriguing summer in several ways. I am far from being a knowledgeable ecologist, but, like most of us, as a layman I wonder whether and how weather affects birds, and if and how local weather is reflecting the conventional wisdom of climate change. Climate change seems increasingly to be expressed as various extreme or rapidly changing weather events that have differing effects on vegetation and consequently insect and larger prey populations. Every species responds differently it seems, depending on its biological needs, but food supply is the most important issue for birds. It is tempting to assign …

2023 (35th) 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. Species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website https://noubirds.org/Birds/ReviewList.aspx. Starting in 2020, the NOURC decided to deal mainly with those species deemed as Accidental on the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska”. Casual species and out-of- range species are now summarized in the “Seasonal Reports” of the …