[Tweeters] Odd Red-breasted Sapsucker in Burien

[Steve Loitz via Tweeters]

Tom,

I'm in the likely RBSA x RNSA hybrid camp. Plumage varies. Red nape is not
always present (which is also true for some female RNSAs). IME, RBSA x RNSA
hybrids are not all that uncommon in WA's east central Cascades, and I've
seen a few of them W of the crest in fall, possibly vertical migrants
working down to lower ground. As you likely know, RNSA migrate southward
out of WA for the winter, while many (likely most?) mountain summer
resident RBSAs migrate vertically to lower ground for the winter. I do not
have any data re what proportion of RBSA x RNSA hybrids migrate vertically,
but through the years I have seen some in winter on both sides of the
crest, e.g., we had a RSBA x RNSA hybrid winter in Ellensburg last year.

Steve Loitz
Ellensburg, WA
steveloitz at gmail.com

On Wed, Oct 2, 2024 at 8:21 PM Tom Benedict via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> This afternoon I noticed (heard) a Sapsucker in a tree in our yard. We

> don’t see them often but they are regular yard birds and a few of the

> trees, cedars, have many rows of sap ‘taps’ in them.

>

> The birds are usually easy to identify, especially since here in the Puget

> Trough we typically only have the Red-breasted Sapsucker. Today, however,

> the bird looked different. The red on the head and neck was subdued and

> there was distinct facial patterning including bold white lines from the

> bill to nap. The facial markings suggested Red-naped Sapsucker, but there

> was definitely no red nape. I considered that it might be a juvenile, but

> the other markings, especially the white/black on the back and tail, were

> quite distinct.

>

> I’ve browsed a lot of photos at Cornell Lab and All About Birds and am

> wondering whether it might be a hybrid.

>

> I took some low quality photos with my phone but I don’t have a site to

> upload them to. I’d be happy to send some photos to anyone who’d like to

> see them.

>

> Tom Benedict

> Seahurst, WA

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