[Tweeters] Odd Red-breasted Sapsucker in Burien

[Tom Benedict via Tweeters]

Thanks for the great responses. I will continue to watch for the bird and hopefully get a good view of its face. I didn’t see/hear it today although I was out in the yard most of the day.

As far as have a ‘disheveled look’, this bird appeared pretty dapper to me.

If the bird returns I’ll report it.

Tom Benedict
Seahurst, WA


> On Oct 3, 2024, at 10:59, Paul Bannick <paul.bannick at gmail.com> wrote:

> 

> Yes, but keep in mind that Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are (rarely) seen here during the winter.  They can be distinguished by having the red on their heads entirely bordered by black (except just behind the bill) and having more white on the back.  In the fall they generally have a vary disheveled look

> 

> On Thu, Oct 3, 2024 at 9:21 AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>> wrote:

>> Tom, Red-breasted and Red-naped Sapsuckers hybridize surprisingly freely where their ranges meet, and a wandering hybrid (Red-naped genes would be migratory) is probably a lot more likely than the southern subspecies of Red-breasted. 

>> 

>> Dennis Paulson

>> Seattle

>> 

>> > On Oct 2, 2024, at 8:36 PM, Tom Benedict via Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>> wrote:

>> > 

>> > I’m reading now at https://forums.whatbird.com/index.php?/topic/15582-what-kind-of-sapsucker/ a discussion of Sphyrapicus ruber daggetti which bears considerable resemblance to my bird. One photo at https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/47538091#_ga=2.117925579.314690642.1607699442-635920480.1580272015 looks rather like mine. 

>> > 

>> > Further browsing at ebird.org <http://bird.org/> found a few Sphyrapicus ruber which a white malar stripe, but not nearly as bold as mine. https://ebird.org/species/rebsap?__hstc=264660688.518c6b2c667ce608f25ee9acc86aba1d.1727908962038.1727908962038.1727924698023.2&__hssc=264660688.8.1727924698023&__hsfp=3134180813&_gl=1*y43xei*_gcl_au*MTAzOTE0MDcwNC4xNzI3OTA4OTYx*_ga*ODkzMTEwMzg3LjE3Mjc5MDg5NjI.*_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM*MTcyNzkyNDY5Ni4yLjEuMTcyNzkyNjIyNS42MC4wLjA.

>> > 

>> > Tom benedict

>> > Seahurst, WA

>> > 

>> > 

>> > 

>> > 

>> > 

>> >> On Oct 2, 2024, at 20:20, Tom Benedict via Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto: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

>> >> _______________________________________________

>> >> Tweeters mailing list

>> >> Tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:Tweeters at u.washington.edu>

>> >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters

>> > 

>> > _______________________________________________

>> > Tweeters mailing list

>> > Tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:Tweeters at u.washington.edu>

>> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters

>> 

>> _______________________________________________

>> Tweeters mailing list

>> Tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:Tweeters at u.washington.edu>

>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters

> 

> 

> -- 

> Now Available:

> Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls at:

> http://paulbannick.com/shop/owl-a-year-in-the-lives-of-north-american-owls/

> 

> 

> Paul Bannick Photography

> www.paulbannick.com <http://www.paulbannick.com/>

> 206-940-7835


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20241003/215af025/attachment.html>