Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker

Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker hybrid, Conboy NWR, Klickitat County (Washington, USA), 30th June 2012 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo ID: 1266)

The above bird was one of a pair with two young.  Steve draws attention to the black stripe (with some white) through the face and the relatively weak red on chest

 Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker hybrid, Conboy NWR, Klickitat County (Washington, USA), 30th June 2012 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo ID: 1267)

On the next one Steve points to it having far too much black on face for a pure Red-breasted Sapsucker, though the bird is, phenotypically, far more Red-breasted than Red-naped.

Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker hybrid, Trout Lake, Klickitat County (Washington, USA), 30th June 2012 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo ID: 1268)

Steve gives a particularly detailed commentary on the next bird which was a significant record being the first time Red-breasted Sapsucker genes had been recorded in Colorado:

"Since I am a bit uncertain of the exact terminology of Sapsucker head markings, the following will be used: crown, lateral crown stripe (for dark border normally present on crown of Red-naped Sapsucker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker), supericilum (line over eye), auriculars (dark patch including eye), malar (white line below auriculars), and throat border (for dark line normally surrounding throat of Red-naped Sapsucker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker).  This bird is a juvenike with a very bright yellow belly, the brightness of which is probably outside range of Red-naped Sapsucker and fairly common in Red-breasted Sapsucker.  The black lateral crown stripe is mostly obscured by red as is much of the white supercilium.  Some red bleeds through auriculars (this part is not rare in normal Red-naped Sapsuckers), and much of the dark throat border is obscured by red (much more so than normal in Red-naped Sapsucker).  Also, a few red feathers can be seen coming in where on juvenile chest band (this area is black in Red-naped Sapsuckers and red in Red-breasted Sapsucker but mottled dark in juveniles of both species) and there is at least a red feather or two below the chest band.  On the other hand, the black and white stripes of head are too prominent for pure Red-breasted Sapsucker."

Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker hybrid, Jackson State Park, Morgan County (Colorado, USA), 9th October 2013 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo IDs: 1145-1151)

 Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker hybrid, Everett, Snohomish County (Washington, USA), June 2010 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo IDs: 1530-1531)

Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker x Red-naped Sapsucker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker x Red-naped Sapsucker hybrid, Chico Basin Ranch, El Paso County (Colorado, USA), 2nd October 2013 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo ID: 1152)

Here is Steve's commentary on this bird:

"Depending on what one focuses on first, one might initially conceive this bird to be a Yellow-bellied or a Red-naped Sapsucker.  This bird is clearly at least partly in juvenile plumage and has rather bright buff on the back, which would seem to indicate Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  However, the markings on the back are on the narrow side for a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and even more so for a juvenile.  The throat seems adult-like, and very much like a female Red-naped Sapsucker and there is that touch of red on the nape (visible in field in 1-2 % of adult Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, but much less common in juveniles).  However, this bird has fairly extensive buff freckling in the dark of the lateral crown border, the auriculars, and the malar (or is it moustachial?) - all typical of juvenile plumage, and especially juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  This molt state is actually more like that of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker than a Red-naped Sapsucker.  In the end, most characters seem in between, and some more Red-naped Sapsucker like, others more Yellow-bellied Sapsucker like... just like one would expect in a hybrid.  The hybrid zone is mostly in SW Alberta, and though the population is small, Colorado would seem a prime area for these hybrids to migrate through/winter in."

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker x Red-naped Sapsucker hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 1152 above), Chico Basin Ranch, El Paso County (Colorado, USA), 2nd October 2013 - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo IDs: 1153-1155)

Next up is a museum specimen, collected from outside of the usual hybrid zone.  Steve points out the following:

• Lack of red on the nape (which is lacking on some Red-naped Sapsuckers in June due to wear)
• Back pattern more like Yellow-bellied Sapsucker than Red-naped Sapsucker - outside range of Red-naped Sapsucker
• Intermediate throat pattern
• Supercilium like that of Red-naped Sapsucker
• Belly perhaps too yellow for Red-naped Sapsucker during June.   

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker x Red-naped Sapsucker hybrid, collected from Tonasket, Okanogan County (Washington, USA), 10th June 1995 and now at UPS Slater Museum, Washington - copyright Steve Mlodinow

(photo IDs: 1445-1447)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis