Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber), Lower Madera Canyon, Pima County

This Red-breasted Sapsucker was found by Sonja Ladouceur at the Whitehouse Picnic Area in Madera Canyon on 06 November 2011 and photographed by Laurens Halsey on 08 November 2011.

Casual transient and winter visitor to Arizona. It is possible that this is the same individual that was present last winter less than a quarter mile to the north.

Red feathering extends down the breast without evidence of a black breast band, and feathers on the back of the crown and nape are red-tipped. In the photo, the black we are seeing in the bib area is an artifact of the lighting combined with slightly raised feathers and shadowing. None of the bib area feathers are tipped black. The sapsucker face pattern is very indistinct.

08 November 2011, photo by Laurens Halsey

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