Sapsucker range maps

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Source: Whatbird.com

The Red-naped Sapsucker resides between the ranges of its close cousins, the Red-breasted Sapsucker of the West Coast and the Yellow-bellied of eastern and northern parts of North America. Where ranges overlap, hybridization may take place.

 

Until 1983, the three species were thought to be variants of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and only recently have I realized that I've been clinging to that misinformation for over 30 years....

 

Juveniles of all three species are very similar, which is why it's important to have these range guidelines....

 

I will be writing a longer piece about this experience on my website birdsandmusings.wordpress.com in the next few days....

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Uploaded on August 4, 2017