Nebraskaland

48 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2017 reasonably well. However, the decline of a third of Nebraska's common breeding birds indicates that there are major conservation challenges in Nebraska. Increasing Species As previously noted, population increases and range expansions by some species can be readily attributed to environmental changes made by humans. Since settlement by Europeans, riparian woodlands expanded along Nebraska's river valleys largely because fire and flooding has been suppressed. A number of eastern species followed the westward expansion of these woodlands. Red-bellied woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers, white-breasted nuthatches, and northern cardinals were all once restricted to eastern Nebraska but moved west as habitat became available and continue to push their limits. These species now occur nearly statewide, especially along major rivers such as the Platte and Republican. Other species are increasing in numbers in Nebraska for a variety of reasons. Rock pigeons, Eurasian collared-doves and European starlings are introduced, non-native species that have become part of our avifauna. The collared-dove arrived in our state as recently as 1997, and since then no other species has increased in numbers or expanded its ranges as rapidly. In many areas, particularly small towns in central and western Nebraska, it is the most numerous resident bird species. Changes in habitat have allowed formerly absent species to expand their ranges into Nebraska. Great-tailed grackles moved north to the United States from Mexico. Cattle egrets traveled from Africa to South America on their own and then moved north to Nebraska. House finches spread from native populations in the west and also from introduced populations from the east; they consolidated their range in eastern Nebraska in the early 1990s and now occur statewide. Populations of other birds, such as wild turkeys and Canada geese, have come back strong thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts after being decimated by unregulated hunting following Euroamerican settlement. Other species have benefited from human-created nesting sites. Cliff swallows were once restricted to building their nests on rocky cliff faces. Now these birds nest in large numbers on the many concrete bridges and culverts that span the state's rivers and streams. Eastern bluebirds and tree swallows benefit from nest boxes placed across the state by individuals and organizations such as Bluebirds Across Nebraska. Cooper's hawks seem to be thriving in the open woodlands of residential neighborhoods where some people concentrate their preferred prey source – small birds – at feeder stations. While increases in some species are easy to understand, there are a few that are not easily explained. White-faced ibises were once rare in Nebraska and the Great Plains, but since the mid-20th century, their numbers increased markedly and their range expanded. During this same time other wetland birds declined due to habitat loss. If that wasn't strange enough, the similar-looking glossy ibis is also rapidly increasing in North America and Nebraska. This colonist from the Old World was restricted to the southeastern United States prior to the 1980s. Nebraska recorded its first glossy ibis in 1999, and they began NORTHERN CARDINAL BY JOEL JORGENSEN EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE BY JUSTIN HAAG

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