Check-list of the Birds of Kansas Part 3

_Clangula hyemalis_ (Linnaeus). Old-squaw. Rare transient and winter visitant. At least five specimens taken (but only two or three preserved) and numerous sight records, from widely separated parts of state.

No subspecies recognized.

_Somateria mollissima._ Eider. Accidental. One record: immature male (KU 3620), Kansas River near Lecompton, Douglas County, November 3, 1891, A.

L. Wiedman.

Subspecies in Kansas: _S. m. v. nigra_ Bonaparte (identification checked by A. Wetmore).

_Somateria spectabilis_ (Linnaeus). King Eider. Accidental. One record: immature male (KU 27487), Kansas River 1 mile east of Lawrence, Douglas County, November 27, 1947, R. L. Montell.

No subspecies recognized.

_Melanitta deglandi._ White-winged Scoter. Rare transient. Nine specimens from Douglas and Leavenworth counties, taken from 1927 to 1938; several sight records from eastern Kansas.

Subspecies in Kansas: _M. d. deglandi_ (Bonaparte).

_Melanitta perspicillata_ (Linnaeus). Surf Scoter. Rare transient. Eight known specimens (three of which are now in University of Kansas collection), all taken in autumn, seven in Douglas County, one in Sedgwick County; several sight records from eastern Kansas.

No subspecies recognized.

_Oidemia nigra._ Common Scoter. Accidental. The two preserved specimens from Kansas supposedly of this species are actually Surf Scoters. L. B.

Carson, however, identified an adult male Common Scoter killed by a hunter at Horton Lake, Brown County, in the early 1930's. Others have been seen by reliable field observers. Every effort should be made to secure specimens from Kansas.

Subspecies in Kansas: _O. n. americana_ Swainson, on geographical grounds.

* _Oxyura jamaicensis._ Ruddy Duck. Common transient throughout state, rare winter resident. One breeding record: Frank Robl saw an adult female with one small young at Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County, in approximately 1929.

Subspecies in Kansas: _O. j. rubida_ (Wilson).

_Lophodytes cucullatus_ (Linnaeus). Hooded Merganser. Uncommon transient and winter resident throughout state. Probably nests occasionally (two specimens at KU taken in east in June), but no proof of this available.

No subspecies recognized.

_Mergus merganser._ American Merganser. Common transient and winter resident throughout state.

Subspecies in Kansas: _M. m. america.n.u.s_ Ca.s.sin.

_Mergus serrator._ Red-breasted Merganser. Uncommon transient throughout state; probably also rare winter resident but records lacking. This species is more common than Hooded Merganser in west, less common than Hooded in east.

Subspecies in Kansas: _M. s. serrator_ Linnaeus.

* _Cathartes aura._ Turkey Vulture. Common transient throughout state; common summer resident west at least to Clark County. Breeding distribution in west poorly known.

Subspecies in Kansas: _C. a. teter_ Friedmann.

_Coragyps atratus_ (Meyer). Black Vulture. Once occurred in southeast, but no record since 1885. Goss quotes Dr. George Lisle ("a close observer") as finding this species common and breeding at Chetopa, Labette County, on the Oklahoma line, prior to 1883. Lisle found a nest with two eggs in 1858. Goss also reports one killed by Watson at Ellis, Ellis County, on March 27, 1885, but the location of the specimen is unknown. The species may still occur in southeastern Kansas.

No subspecies recognized.

* _Elanodes forficatus._ Swallow-tailed Kite. Formerly summer resident in at least eastern half of state. Last specimen from Kansas taken by Dr. G. C. Rinker at Hamilton, Greenwood County, May 17, 1914.

Subspecies in Kansas: _E. f. forficatus_ (Linnaeus).

* _Ictinia misisippiensis_ (Wilson). Mississippi Kite. Common summer resident in south-central Kansas, east to Harvey, north to Barton, and west to Kearny counties. Occasional records from Douglas (nested once), Johnson, Greenwood, and Hamilton counties.

No subspecies recognized.

_Accipiter gentilis._ Goshawk. Rare and irregular winter visitor in east. Status in west unknown.

Subspecies in Kansas: _A. g. atricapillus_ (Wilson).

* _Accipiter striatus._ Sharp-s.h.i.+nned Hawk. Transient and winter resident throughout state; less common in east. Status in summer poorly known; one nest found in Cloud County, July 11, 1938, J. M. Porter.

Subspecies in Kansas: _A. s. velox_ (Wilson).

* _Accipiter cooperii_ (Bonaparte). Cooper Hawk. Resident throughout state but nesting records only from the eastern half, west to Cloud County.

No subspecies recognized.

* _Buteo jamaicensis._ Red-tailed Hawk. Abundant transient and winter resident in east; in High Plains of west, largely restricted to river bottoms in winter. Common summer resident in east; status in summer in west poorly known.

Subspecies in Kansas: _B. j. borealis_ (Gmelin) is the breeding bird of eastern Kansas. _B. j. calurus_ Ca.s.sin probably nests in west but no specimens available. _B. j. borealis_, _B. j.

calurus_, _B. j. kriderii_ Hoopes, and _B. j. harlani_ (Audubon), the latter considered here as conspecific with _jamaicensis_, all occur as transients and winter residents. More specimens needed to establish details of distribution of various subspecies.

* _Buteo lineatus._ Red-shouldered Hawk. Uncommon transient and summer resident and irregular winter resident in eastern Kansas. Breeding records from Leavenworth and Woodson counties; doubtless breeds in other eastern counties but definite evidence lacking.

Subspecies in Kansas: _B. l. lineatus_ (Gmelin).