Skip to main content

Birds

From eastern oak woodlands to western pine forests, Nebraska is home to more than 400 species of birds, including more than 200 breeding species. Situated between wintering areas to the south and breeding areas to the north, Nebraska is a critically important stopover and staging area, primarily during spring migration, for millions of waterfowl, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and half a million sandhill cranes.

Selected species

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Learn more about the bald eagle in Nebraska.

Read More
Whooping Crane

Whooping Crane

Learn more about the whooping crane, an endangered species in Nebraska.

Read More
Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes

Learn more about the sandhill crane.

Read More
Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine falcons are birds of the sky and open spaces.

Read More
Piping Plover

Piping Plover

Learn more about the piping plover, a threatened species in Nebraska.

Read More
Interior Least Tern

Interior Least Tern

Learn more about the interior least tern, an endangered species in Nebraska.

Read More
Mountain Plover

Mountain Plover

Learn more about the mountain plover, a threatened species in Nebraska.

Read More
Rufa Red Knot

Rufa Red Knot

Learn more about the rufa red knot, a threatened species in Nebraska.

Read More

Major issues and threats

Habitat loss

Habitat loss and change is the most pressing challenge confronting many at-risk bird species. Find out more information about how habitat has changed and what we are doing about it.

Wind and energy development

Birds may be vulnerable to impacts from wind and energy development. Visit the UNL Wind and Wildlife page to find out our role in guiding and informing sensible energy development in Nebraska.

Diseases

Wild birds, like all wildlife, are susceptible to certain diseases and in some instances these diseases may have implications for people. Avian influenza and West Nile Virus are just two diseases you may have questions about.

Bird resources

Cornell Lab Bird Academy Media Library

Short informative videos about a range of bird topics such as identification, behavior, habitat, and migration. Perfect for classrooms and anyone just wanting to learn more about birds!

Nebraska Birding Trails

An online bird-watching guide for the State of Nebraska, this site has information on statewide birding locations as well as pre-planned routes for the best birding opportunities.

eBird

eBird has specializes in showing bird sightings with state-of-the-art maps. You can now view global maps for any species or subspecies, refine the data to a specific season or date range, and then drill down to the individual sightings that make up the map.

Educator resources

Birds and Birding Lesson Plans

Nebraska Game and Parks offers a variety of lesson plans on flora, fauna and other natural resources topics specific to the state. Find all kinds of lesson plans related to bird and birding on our lesson plans page.

Cornell Lab Bird Academy Play Lab

Free educational games that allow students to explore the wonders of flight, song, dance, feathers, and more.

Related content

Watch wildlife

Watch wildlife

Following a few key tips will help make your wildlife watching excursion as successful as it can be.

Read More
Conservation Efforts

Conservation Efforts

Maintaining the diversity and abundance of Nebraska’s plants, fish, wildlife and their habitats.

Read More
Parks

Parks

At Nebraska’s parks, you’ll find an array of things to see and do.

Read More