Date: 8/23/26 7:20 pm From: Tobin Brown via groups.io <tobinjbrown...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] County lines
You can follow ebird's guidance and the ABA rules by simply marking the
checklist as incomplete. Which is what I (unfortunately) had to do, so the
Brown Pelican doesn't count for my Nebraska list.
- Tobin
On Sun, Aug 23, 2026, 9:07 PM David Cunningham via groups.io <gopacgodc=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Paul,
>
> I suppose this might lead to some confusion. Since most individuals are
> using ebird, Cornell requests that their rules be followed. In your example
> below with the BRPE, it could legitimately be entered into a Washington
> County Nebraska ebird checklist if seen for that location. The checklist,
> assuming proper documentation for the rarity, should be accepted, because
> it is ebird and Cornell's rules. The muddy side comes when/if ebird is
> used for NOU county/state or ABA records. I assume (but don't have the
> history) NOU is following ABA rules.
>
> Dave Cunningham
> Sarpy County
>
> On Sun, Aug 23, 2026 at 8:47 PM Paul L. Pearson via groups.io <Propearson=
> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>
>> eBird 'border' protocol is not accurate for ABA Area listing, including
>> Nebraska county or state records.
>>
>> For example, the Brown Pelican at Desoto this weekend never crossed into
>> Nebraska, and thus not countable for Nebraska lists, even though it was
>> observed from the Nebraska side of the lake. For the Iowa checklist, it was
>> counted as an Iowa bird. For a list on the Nebraska side, it wasn't
>> entered, as it had not been observed physically crossing the state border.
>>
>> Is this a breach of eBird's protocol? Yes. But it's absolutely accurate
>> for ABA listing protocols. When 'border birding' I follow ABA protocols and
>> use incidental lists in the "other" geography.
>>
>> "Under the American Birding Association (ABA) Recording Rules, a bird
>> must be physically within the defined geographic boundaries of the
>> checklist area when encountered to be countable. If you stand on one side
>> of a border and see a bird across it, countability depends entirely on
>> where the bird's physical body is located. [1
>> <http://www.thebirdist.com/2014/10/changes-to-abas-recording-rules.html> >> ]"
>>
>> If you have a bird on the state or county line that crosses over, count
>> it on the county checklist you are in and create an incidental list for the
>> other county or state it crossed into. eBird may not like it, but the
>> NOURC and ABA won't accept it.
>>
>> There are several hotspots where this is an issue in NE and the eBird
>> hotspots are usually set up to be used in the correct counties.
>>
>> Desoto is an example, everything inside the oxbow to halfway across the
>> historical channel is NE, as well as south of the center of the current
>> river channel, but everything else is Iowa.
>>
>> On Henry Road in Sioux County, there are parts of the road fully in NE,
>> parts fully in WY and some places where the center of the road is the
>> dividing line. Unless the bird is in or crosses into NE, it's not countable
>> in NE. e.g. Rosy finches on the Wyoming cliffs are WY birds until they fly
>> over the road, despite where you are physically standing or what eBird says
>> you should do.
>>
>> Lewis and Clark lake near Yankton is a more difficult example. Google
>> maps has the wrong state line, as the border is actually the center of the
>> historical channel well north of google's state line in the current
>> channel. Complicating this is the Cedar/Knox border running N-S but the
>> dam/road is not exactly N-S. The 'tailrace' next to the west side of the
>> dam and everything east is Cedar Co. (map is attached). However, at the
>> pullouts to the north, all the birds on the west side are Knox until you
>> hit the state line sign. Confused yet? Typically when birding Lewis and
>> Clark lake, you may have to use several checklists to be accurate.
>>
>> There are other examples (Jack Sinn mentioned, Buffalo WMA near
>> Scottsbluff, etc). In those cases, create a new list when you are crossing
>> those borders. e.g. one for Banner and one for Scottsbluff county (cant
>> find Brenner's map for that one). Indian Cave SP is another straddling
>> nemaha and richardson...the road in extended is the county line (see map)
>>
>> Hopefully this somewhat clears up the difference between ABA/NE listing
>> and eBird protocol.
>>
>> Paul P.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Paul L. Pearson, PhD
>> President-Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union
>> Omaha, NE
>>
>>
>
>
