[EBB Sightings] another Red-naped?

Tim,

Sapsuckers DO interbreed, perhaps especially Red-breasted x Red-naped.  
There was a very good article on the topic by Stephen Shunk in the ABA 
magazine "Birding", in the May/June 2005 issue:  "Sphyrapicus Anxiety: 
Identifying Hybrid Sapsuckers"

Kay

Tim Howe wrote:

>Hi: I'm having trouble IDing a Sapsucker I saw in my
>back yard this morning! I live in Montclair. The bird
>was in a large live oak. It looked identical to the
>Red-naped Sapsucker I saw at Sunol except for one
>thing. The red at  the back of the head ended at the
>base of the neck like a Red-breasted Sapsucker!
>  Other than that it was identical to the picture of
>the male Red-naped on page 311 of Big Sibley. Black
>border at the chest, two vertcal rows of defined white
>markings on the back, white markings on side of face
>identical to the picture...
>  All it lacked was the red "nape", the red mark
>bordered in black on the back of the head. Well it's
>got me stumped. Any ideas? If the Red-breasted and
>Red-naped interbreed, maybe this is an offspring...
>  Tim Howe
> 
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