Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2015-02
| Common name: |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
| Scientific name: | Sphyrapicus various |
| Date: | 19 DEC 2014 |
| Time: | 07:45 |
| Length of time observed: | 30 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | imm. |
| Sex: | unknown |
| Location: | Castle Creek Lane @ Annie and Ed's |
| County: | Grand |
| Latilong: | 36.6560 109.4256198 |
| Elevation: | ><4,200 |
| Distance to bird: | <30' |
| Optical equipment: | 8x42 bins, 20-60x scope |
| Weather: | Balmy, 40's mostly clear sky |
| Light Conditions: | Pre-sun up, sun up - excellant light. |
| Description: Size of bird: | Medium |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Woodpecker shape |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Head, shoulders, back, brownish. Wings black w/white bar. Underside light. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Straight chisel. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Head brownish with light, not white, streak behind eye, and below eye to
base/top of bill. Nape and back has messy, brownish markings.Wings dark,
blackish, with large white wingbar. Tail dark. Throat and belly light,
creamy/yellowish with dark streaking on sides and flanks. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: |
Mewing, mewling calls. Querulous scolding cries. |
| Behavior: |
Hitches up and around tree trunk and branches will clinging with feet and
bracing/propping with tail feathers. Discreet tapping to dislodge bark and drill shallow wells. Hummingbird-like tongue employed to lick up sap. Arcing flight of flapping and gliding. |
| Habitat: | Small stand of pines, very heavily marked with sapsucker pattern of holes- parallel lines.Large cottonwood trees and Russian Olive Trees. 100 yards away is the thick riparian corridor of Castle Creek. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
1st year Red-naped Sapsucker would resemble adult -
black, white and red plumage, only lacking black bib. Female Williamson's Sapsucker head is browner without light streaks over and under eyes. More black on chest, and dark barring on sides tapering to flanks. No big wingbar. Downy and Hairy woodpeckers distinctly black and white. Both have obvious white backs. Red on males limited to hindcrown. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Familiar with Red-naped Sapsucker - I have observed
them Spring thru Fall the last couple years where I'm working. I've enjoyed Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers for the last 40 years in a variety of places. |
| References consulted: |
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Cornell's All About Birds website. |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Stephen Heinrich |
| Observer's address: | 177 Shafer Lane, HC 64 Box 2913 Castle Valley Utah 84532-9613 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | none |
| Date prepared: | 15 JAN2014 |
| Additional material: | Photos <skipchris at rontiernet.net> These people have good photos. |
| Additional_Comments: | The bird is still in the same location. I heard and saw it this morning. |