Red-breasted or hybrid Sapsucker? Reno NV USA (1 Viewer)

[Birds4Kathy]

On Jan 11, 2021 I visited a park in Reno NV called Bowers Mansion. I spotted a sapsucker there which didn't look entirely like the common species reported for Reno, i.e., the Red Breasted Sapsucker. I wondered if it might instead be a hybrid of Red-breasted and Red-naped sapsucker although this hybrid has only been reported in the Reno vicinity 6 times since 2012. I have enclosed the photos I was able to get. Are these photos sufficient to distinguish between the two possibilities? Any insight would be greatly appreciated, Kathy.

 

[nartreb]

I'm not familiar with either species, let alone hybrids, but these photos look quite distinct from what's in my guidebook. Your bird looks a lot like a red-breasted, but with a little extra black-and-white patterning around the eye, a particularly large white "mustache", and distinct black-and-white stripes up the neck. Those features look highly suggestive of red-naped parentage. (Yellow-bellied has similar patterns, but seems less likely based on range.)

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

some hybrid photos for comparison are found here

Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker

Red-naped Sapsucker x Red-breasted Sapsucker hybrid, Conboy NWR, Klickitat County (Washington, USA), 30th June 2012 - copyright Steve Mlo...

birdhybrids.blogspot.com

 

[KC Foggin]

Certainly looks to be a Hybrid for me,

 

[Birds4Kathy]

This is great news. I though it looked like it had qualities of both sapsuckers! Thanks for the help! Kathy