Hi, Jen. Your sapsucker looks like a Red-breasted to me, and that's what I
would call it in the field based upon those particular views. However,
someone with a bigger, better monitor than mine might be able to assert
characteristics of mixed ancestry that I'm just not seeing.
Red-breasted Sapsucker was found on the Tygh Valley CBC Dec. 30, 2015. The
area where you saw your bird is well inside the circle.
All three sapsucker species can be found in Wasco County. Red-breasted
generally prefers Douglas-fir habitat at middle elevations (3000-4000
feet), but heavy snow at those elevations in December likely forced birds
to move downslope. For example, we found Mountain Quail and
Chestnut-backed Chickadee on the valley floor (1200 feet) where there was
less snow.
Jeff Hayes
On Mar 5, 2016 7:14 AM, "Jen Sanford" <jjsanford@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello!
About a month ago I was birding Juniper Flat Road in Wasco County with a
friend and we came upon a sapsucker working one of the junipers. We were
able to watch the bird for awhile and take several photos, eventually
deciding it to be a pure Red-breasted Sapsucker. This is rare for Wasco on
eBird and the reviewer has suggested it to be a hybrid.
I still feel that it is pure but would like to hear other thoughts on the
bird as I am always open to being proven wrong! Also if anyone knows of a
good resource for sapsucker hybrid identification, please share.
Flickr photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stoptellingmeitsokay/25501365256/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stoptellingmeitsokay/24900791133/in/photostream/
eBird checklist here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27304206
Thanks for looking,
Jen Sanford
Portland
