Part 6

Mergus merganser. American Merganser. Common transient and winter resident throughout state.

Subspecies in Kansas: M. m. americanus Cassin.

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.

* Elanoides 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-shinned 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 Cassin 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).

* Buteo platypterus. Broad-winged Hawk. Fairly common transient and local summer resident in eastern Kansas. Breeding records only from Douglas, Leavenworth, and Johnson counties, where species nests regularly.

Subspecies in Kansas: B. p. platypterus (Vieillot).

* Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte. Swainson Hawk. Abundant transient in west, fairly common in east. Nests commonly throughout western two-thirds of state and at least occasionally in eastern portion. Supposed winter records should be substantiated by specimens.

No subspecies recognized.

Buteo lagopus. Rough-legged Hawk. Winter resident, fairly common in east to common in west.

Subspecies in Kansas: B. l. s. johannis (Gmelin).