[texbirds] Re: sabine woodpeckers
- From: "Ray Porter" <ray.porter314@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2012 11:05:19 -0500
Please start sending your posts to texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Harlan,
The female Melanerpes appears to be a Golden Fronted in every respect so I
don't think there is any question about that bird. However, the male is
intriguing as several people have suggested the possibility of a hybrid.
First I tried checking for pictures of the Red Bellieds, Golden Fronted
(both from guides, internet and my photo library), Florida Red Bellieds and
Yucatan Red Bellieds and Red Bellied x Golden Fronteds (I didn;t find any
pictures) but none seemed to fit the description. So I found this article
and the author's conclusion and designation for what are in her mind
hybrids, so quoting from Smith, Julia I. "Evidence of Hybridization Between
Red-Bellied Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers." The Condor 89:377-386, "In general,
putative male hybrids resemble their female counterparts being characterized
by: no tail bars, only white blotches; reddish-orange to orange fronts;
orange to yellowish-orange bellies; no gray gap on nape; and no extra
lateral color on nape."
Based on that characterization, I think the male Melanerpes is a Red Bellied
x Golden Fronted. As a side bar, note she rejected use of rump color,
character as diagnostic.
ray porter
highlands texas
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