[obol] sapsucker photo

[Alan Contreras]

I agree with Larry.  I don't think this is a juv bird.  Juv Yellow-bellied
would be amazingly brown this time of year and would not have such a
well-developed face pattern.

I'd be interested in what Steve Shunk thinks of this bird, since he has been
study woodpeckers in some detail in recent years.

-- 
Alan Contreras
EUGENE, OREGON

acontrer at mindspring.com
www.OREGONREVIEW.BLOGSPOT.COM ­ Social Commentary
www.CONTRERASBIRDS.BLOGSPOT.COM ­ Current Bird Photos





> From: Larry McQueen <larmcqueen at msn.com>
> Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:23:36 -0800
> To: 'Greg Gillson' <greg at thebirdguide.com>, 'OBOL'
> <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
> Subject: Re: [obol] sapsucker photo
> 
> Greg,
> 
> I believe this is an adult Yellow-bellied in fresh plumage.  Adults of many
> species have this kind of plumage in fall; that is, one that has buffy tips
> to the feathers that, as they wear, they will reveal the bright,
> contrasting, breeding plumage.  The flight feathers (remiges and rectrices)
> look fresh, with little wear, and with the amount of white much more typical
> of the Y-b than of the western sapsuckers.  The back barring also looks more
> like Y-b to me.  I am not familiar with this plumage in the field, probably
> because this sapsucker is migratory in the east where I was familiar with
> it, and it wouldn't be a plumage that would be around to see, at least, not
> very long.
> 
> Larry McQueen
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: obol-bounces at lists.oregonstate.edu
> [mailto:obol-bounces at lists.oregonstate.edu] On Behalf Of Greg Gillson
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 5:28 PM
> To: OBOL
> Subject: [obol] sapsucker photo
> 
> Dave Herr sent a couple of nice photos of a sapsucker at Frenchglen, Oregon,
> 
> 2 weeks ago.
> 
> There are two choices. Is it an adult Yellow-bellied or juvenile Red-naped?
> 
> The last time I looked at it I was leaning towards an adult (the very black
> and white wing feathers). The black border completely contains the red
> throat, making it Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. However, now I'm leaning toward
> juvenile (barred belly feathers). Yellow-bellied juveniles do not get the
> adult pattern until later in winter, so this would have to be Red-naped
> Sapsucker. I'm staggering from opinion to opinion--if I lean any more I'll
> fall over on my face! I give up. I don't know what it is. Correctly aging
> this bird is absolutely essential to determining its identity.
> 
> Check it out on the Recent Photos link on The Bird Guide's home page:
> http://thebirdguide.com
> 
> Greg Gillson
> The Bird Guide, Inc.
> greg at thebirdguide.com
> 
> 
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