Check-list of the Birds of Kansas.
by Harrison B Tordoff.
Kansas was one of the first states for which a detailed book on birds was published (N. S. Goss, "History of the Birds of Kansas," Topeka, Kansas, 1891). Ornithological progress in Kansas in recent years, however, has not kept pace with work in many other states. As a result, knowledge of the birds of Kansas today is not sufficiently detailed to make possible a modern, definitive report. One purpose of this check-list is to show gaps in our information on birds of the state.
Each student of birds can contribute importantly by keeping accurate records of nesting, distribution, and migration of any species in Kansas and by making these records available through publication in appropriate journals. The Museum of Natural History at the University of Kansas solicits records and specimens which contribute to our knowledge of birds in Kansas. Files and collections at the Museum are available to any qualified person for study.
The last state-wide list of birds was prepared by W. S. Long (Trans.
Kansas Acad. Sci., 43, 1940:433-456). This list and the unpublished thesis from which the list was abstracted have been of great value in preparing the present report. Many other persons have contributed and among these the names of the following must be mentioned because of the value of their contributions: Ivan L. Boyd, L. B. Carson, Arthur L.
Goodrich, Jr., Richard Graber, Jean Graber, Harold C. Hedges, R. F.
Miller, John M. Porter, and Marvin D. Schwilling.
Full standing in this check-list has been given only to species for which at least one specimen from Kansas has been examined by some qualified student. Exceptions to this admittedly arbitrary rule have been made in three cases, Trumpeter Swan, Turkey, and Carolina Paroquet, because there is no reason to doubt that each of these three species once occurred in Kansas and because opportunity for obtaining specimens from Kansas has been lost through disappearance of the species from the state. Other species reported from the state but not authenticated by specimens have been relegated to the Hypothetical List and their names and my remarks concerning these birds are enclosed in brackets. This procedure is intended to encourage collection of such species; it is not intended necessarily to indicate doubt of a record. In the case of a carefully identified but uncollected accidental, opportunity for obtaining a specimen may not exist again for a long period. This is unfortunate but emphasizes the need for judicious collecting.
A total of 375 species (or 459 species and subspecies), of which four are introduced, is included in this check-list. Additionally, 15 species are discussed in the Hypothetical List. An asterisk (*) preceding an account indicates positive evidence of breeding in Kansas of the species so marked. The total of species known to have bred at least once in the state is 173. Nomenclature in this list follows the American Ornithologists" Union "Check-List of North American Birds" (1931, 4th edition) and its supplements. Species on the Hypothetical List are included in their current taxonomic position in the main list.
_Gavia immer_ (Brunnich). Common Loon. Uncommon transient throughout state.
No subspecies recognized.
_Gavia stellata_ (Pontoppidan). Red-throated Loon. Rare transient. One specimen: female (Univ. Michigan Mus. Zool. 65778), Marais des Cygnes River, near Ottawa, Franklin County, October 20, 1925, Captain Joe R.
White. Several sight records from Shawnee and Johnson counties within past 10 years.
No subspecies recognized.
_Colymbus grisegena._ Red-necked Grebe. Rare transient. One specimen: female (KU 7697), Kansas River east of Lawrence, Douglas County, October 29, 1910, Logan I. Evans.
Subspecies in Kansas: _C. g. holbollii_ (Reinhardt).
_Colymbus auritus._ Horned Grebe. Rare transient. Two authentic specimens: Manhattan, Riley County, September 30, 1878; male (KU 27465), 2-1/2 miles north of Lawrence, Douglas County, November 16, 1945, E. C.
Olson and Ralph L. Montell. Several sight records, from eastern, central, and western Kansas.
Subspecies in Kansas: _C. a. cornutus_ Gmelin.
_Colymbus caspicus._ Eared Grebe. Regular transient throughout state; more common than Horned Grebe.
Subspecies in Kansas: _C. c. californicus_ (Heermann).
_Aechmophorus occidentalis_ (Lawrence). Western Grebe. Rare transient, perhaps more common in west but status poorly known.
No subspecies recognized.
* _Podilymbus podiceps._ Pied-billed Grebe. Common transient and irregular summer resident, rare winter resident.
Subspecies in Kansas: _P. p. podiceps_ (Linnaeus).
_Peleca.n.u.s erythrorhynchos_ Gmelin. White Pelican. Common transient throughout state. Occasional individuals, probably sick or wounded, remain beyond normal migration periods in spring and fall.
No subspecies recognized.
_Peleca.n.u.s occidentalis._ Brown Pelican. Accidental. One specimen: adult, s.e.x not determined (KU 10468), Parker, Linn County, June, 1916, found dead by G. G. McConnell. One seen at Wichita, Sedgwick County, by R. H. Sullivan, April 25, 1910.
Subspecies in Kansas: _P. o. carolinensis_ Gmelin.
* _Phalacrocorax auritus._ Double-crested Cormorant. Regular transient, in small to moderate numbers. One nesting record: several nests, eggs, and small young seen, Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County, August, 1951, Otto Tiemeier.
Subspecies in Kansas: _P. a. auritus_ (Lesson).
_Phalacrocorax olivaceus._ Mexican Cormorant. Accidental. One record: specimen taken 4 miles south of Lawrence, Douglas County, April 2, 1872.
Present location unknown but specimen identified by S. F. Baird and R.
Ridgway.
Subspecies in Kansas: _P. o. mexica.n.u.s_ (Brandt).
_Anhinga anhinga._ Water-turkey. Accidental. Several specimens and sight observations are on record but most are prior to 1900. Several records and one specimen at Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County, since 1928 (Frank Robl). In recent years, some reported Water-turkeys have proved to be cormorants.
Subspecies in Kansas: _A. a. leucogaster_ (Vieillot).
_Fregata magnificens._ Man-o"-war-bird. Accidental. One record: specimen (present location unknown) taken on the North Fork of the Solomon River, Osborne County, August 16, 1880, by Frank Lewis.
Subspecies in Kansas: _F. m. rothschildi_ Mathews.
* _Ardea herodias._ Great Blue Heron. Common transient and summer resident nesting in widely scattered colonies.
Subspecies in Kansas: three reported, _A. h. herodias_ Linnaeus in northeast, _A. h. wardi_ Ridgway in southeast, and _A. h.
treganzai_ Court in west, but status of these poorly known because of lack of sufficient breeding specimens.
_Casmerodius albus._ American Egret. Regular postbreeding summer visitant; occasional spring and summer resident. No definite nesting record.
Subspecies in Kansas: _C. a. egretta_ (Gmelin).
* _Leucophoyx thula._ Snowy Egret. Regular postbreeding summer visitant; rare and local summer resident; occasional in spring. One nesting record: two nests found, summer, 1952, 6 miles north and 4-1/2 miles west of Garden City, Finney County, Marvin D. Schwilling.