5 replies to this topic

[dklucius]

this one has been a regular visiter to my feeder for last week. it has the red under feathers and the black chevron on chest but just traces of red on head. would it be a sub adult or a hybrid?

[meghann]

It could be an adult female.

[Pat B.]

DK - A female Red-shafted has no red (or any) moustache and no Red-shafted has the red chevron on the nape. What red on the head are you referring to? Did you think is was a sub-adult Yellow-? I've had a hybrid (Intergrade) the last two winters: red moustaches, but with the red chevron on the nape (sometimes not as thick as those I've seen in photos of Yellow-shafteds) - is that what you mean?

[dklucius]

i just seems pale and less distinctive features than others i get and the sort of rusty blush around its eyes does not show up as much as some others. hard to compare sizes with others unless they are side by side but it seems smaller then usual. i guess its a female red shafted just not quite like several others i get here and less active or acrobatic.

[Bird Brain]

It looks like a pretty much typical female Red-shafted to me. There are individual variations among them.

Pat, it is interesting to see you say you have a female, probably a Red-shafted/Yellow-shafted cross that has a red chevron on its nape. I had one visit our yard a couple of weeks ago...red underneath with a red chevron on its nape also. It was with a typical male Red-shafted. Photos below.....


Nuttall's...Flicker...Mourning Dove..03-26-2028 by littlebear_elder, on Flickr


Nuttall's...Flicker...Mourning Dove..03-26-2033 by littlebear_elder, on Flickr

[Pat B.]

Pat, it is interesting to see you say you have a female, probably a Red-shafted/Yellow-shafted cross that has a red chevron on its nape. I had one visit our yard a couple of weeks ago...red underneath with a red chevron on its nape also. It was with a typical male Red-shafted. Photos below.....

Actually the Intergrade we've had was a male - red moustaches, red "flashing" underneath, and red chevron. I've noticed that his chevron was paler and not as defined as the one in your photo. He also was hanging with the Red-shafted males and females. Haven't seen him for several weeks, nor the rest of them (I started cutting back on the suet a while back when the Starlings were eating all of it).