Prepared by David L. Suddjian
Santa Cruz Bird Club Bird Records Keeper
dsuddjian@aol.com
Prepared December 6, 1999
All four sapsuckers in the Genus Sphyrapicus have been documented
to occur
in Santa Cruz County (SCZ). The Red-breasted Sapsucker (RBSA) is an
uncommon,
regularly occurring species, while Red-naped (RNSA), Yellow-bellied
(YBSA)
and Williamson's (WISA) sapsuckers are considered vagrant rarities.
This note
summarizes the seasonal patterns of occurrence and relative frequency
of each
species (and hybrids), as recorded in the county bird records maintained
by
the Santa Cruz Bird Club.
It is interesting that 91% of the records of the rare RNSA and YBSA
occurred
after the Check-List Committee of the American Ornithologist Union
(A.O.U.)
split the two species in 1985. Interest and awareness generated by
this
modern split, along with increased availability of good identification
aids
(and improved skills) were no doubt responsible for the change in frequency
of detection after 1985.
All the sapsuckers have a broad distribution and similar selection of
similar
habitats in SCZ. One location is special for these species. The late
Bob
Merrill dubbed a birdy stretch of old walnut and oak trees along the
Skyline-to-the Sea Trail at Rancho del Oso as "Sapsucker Alley". RBSA
is
quite often found there in the fall and winter, but Sapsucker Alley
has also
produced records of three RNSA, two YBSA and one hybrid!
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER
The RBSA occurs principally as a fall and winter visitor. The first
fall
arrivals are found from late September to mid-October, with an average
first
arrival date of October 2 (earliest arrival was September 14). RBSA
is found
through the winter, departing by late March and early April. The timing
of
spring departure has not been well documented in SCZ, but the information
at
hand is similar to that published for other nearby counties. RBSA is
uncommon
during the fall and winter, occurring throughout the county wherever
there is
forest, woodland or orchard. It prefers habitats with broadleaf deciduous
and
evergreen trees, such as riparian woodland, orchards, oak woodland
and mixed
forest. They make little use of landscaped suburban settings, but do
use
adjacent natural habitats. RBSA are sparsely distributed, and it is
unusual
to encounter more than 1-3 individuals during a typical day's bird
watching.
During the last 10 years, totals from the Santa Cruz County and Moss
Landing
CBCs have averaged only 15.2 and 6.3 birds, respectively.
RBSA has been discovered nesting locally in the Santa Cruz Mountains
region
since 1995, ranging from the Pescadero area in San Mateo County south
to the
Scott Creek area in SCZ. There are two SCZ breeding records: an adult
feeding
two juveniles at Big Creek on June 23, 1996, and an adult with two
begging
juveniles at Scott Creek on July 16, 1999. Additionally, an adult was
seen at
Waddell Creek on July 13, 1999.
The form S. r. daggetti is the one that normally occurs in SCZ.
The more
northern form S. r. ruber has been reported three times: October
11, 1883
(specimen at Cal. Academy of Sciences), November 30, 1960 and February
26,
1994.
RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
RNSA has been recorded 25 times in SCZ (see table). The first was a
bird
collected at Scotts Valley on December 1, 1934 (Condor 38:87). There
were
only two other records prior to the 1985 split by the A.O.U, but then
RNSA
was found in 11 out of 13 years from 1987 to 1999, averaging 1.7 records
per
year over that period. Dates span September 18 - April 28, but all
but three
have occurred from September 18 - January 11. The peak period of occurrence
is from late November to early January (68% of all records). RNSA have
been
known to linger for 1-17 days, but most have been seen for only 1-5
days. It
is likely that some stayed for longer periods and presumably over-wintered.
The sex was reported for 22 of the records, of which 55% were male
and 45%
female. RNSA uses the same range of habitats as RBSA, with the majority
of
records from riparian woodland and old orchards.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
YBSA has been recorded seven times in SCZ, all subsequent to the 1985
A.O.U.
split (see table). The first was one photographed and sketched at Sycamore
Grove on March 23-29, 1987. Since then it has been reported in five
years
from 1987 - 1999, averaging 0.5 per year. Dates span October 19 - March
29,
but five of the seven records (71%) have been from October 19 - November
25.
Birds have been known to linger for 1-15 days, and the most recent
record may
yet extend that window. As for RNSA, it suspected that some stayed
for longer
periods and some may have over-wintered. Age/sex information was reported
for
all records. Four have been immature (2 males, 2 unknown), and three
were
adults (all males). YBSA have all been in woodland or forest habitats,
with
three of the seven records from riparian woodland. For a bird if such
rarity,
it is unusual in its wide distribution of records across the county.
HYBRIDS
Six apparent hybrids of RBSA x RNSA or RBSA x YBSA have been reported
in SCZ
(see table). As with the records of RNSA and YBSA, most (five of six)
hybrids
have been reported after the 1985 A.O.U. split. Dates span November
23 -
February 27. Two lingered for at least 7-8 days. It is possible that
a small
fraction of additional records reported above as RNSA may have also
been
hybrids.
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
WISA has been documented only twice in SCZ. The first was collected
on
November 29, 1896, likely in or near the city of Santa Cruz. Then,
99 years
later a female was found in ponderosa pines and Douglas firs at Gray
Whale
Ranch from December 13, 1995 - January 3, 1996. Two other fairly recent
SCZ
reports were not documented.
** List of Records of Rare Sapsuckers in Santa Cruz County **
** Red-naped Sapsucker
| 12/11/34 | Scotts Valley | P. Covel |
| 9/18-19/74 | La Selva | Albrights |
| 10/26/77 | Ben Lomond | D. Parker |
| 1/5/87 | Long Ridge Road | R. Morgan |
| 2/27/87 | Pinto Lake City Park | D. Suddjian |
| 3/11/87 | Sycamore Grove | B. Mori |
| 9/26/87 | Rancho del Oso | R. Merrill |
| 1/1/88 | La Selva | D. Suddjian |
| 12/16/89 | Empire Grade | D. Suddjian |
| 12/22-24/89 | Riverdale Rd, Soquel | N. Hueter + |
| 10/3-20/90 | Rancho del Oso | R. Merrill |
| 12/4/90 | Felton | R. & P. Launer |
| 12/30/90 | Pogonip Ranch | D. Suddjian |
| 1/1-4/91 | Watsonville | R. Morgan + |
| 12/23/91 | Cascade Creek | D. Suddjian |
| 1/1/92 | College Lake | D. Suddjian |
| 1/11/92 | Sycamore Grove | D. Suddjian |
| 11/11-14/94 | Branciforte Creek | D. Suddjian |
| 11/17/95 | Rancho del Oso | D. George |
| 12/14-16/95 | Gray Whale Ranch | D. Suddjian |
| 4/24-28/96 | Long Ridge Road | D. Suddjian |
| 11/20/97 | U.C. Santa Cruz | J. Clark |
| 11/29-30/97 | Pasatiempo | T. Hopkins |
| 12/19-23/97 | Empire Grade | T. Marshall |
| 12/19-31/98 | Rodeo Gulch | C. Kempf + |
**Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
| 3/23-29/87 | Sycamore Grove | B. Mori + |
| 10/19/87 | Ben Lomond | R. Merrill |
| 2/16/91 | Rancho del Oso | M. Baumgartner |
| 11/4-5/95 | Aptos | L. Scribner |
| 11/25/97 | College Lake | D. Suddjian |
| 11/15/99 | Soquel Creek | D. Suddjian |
| 11/20-12/4/99 | Rancho del Oso | A. Kopitov + |
** Red-naped or Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (not identified to species)
| 1/1/89 | Corralitos Creek | B. Labar |
** Hybrids (RNSA x RBSA or YBSA x RBSA)
| 1/19-25/75 | Glen Canyon Road | B. Scharfenstein |
| 12/21-28/86 | Wilder Creek | R. Morgan + |
| 1/18/89 | Rancho del Oso | R. Merrill |
| 2/27/89 | Monterey Bay Academy | I. Fields |
| 11/23/91 | Summit Road | B. Taylor |
| 12/16/95 | Soquel | D. Suddjian |
** Williamson's Sapsucker
| 11/29/1896 | Santa Cruz | A. Vrooman |
| 12/13/95 - 1/3/96 | Gray Whale Ranch | D. Suddjian |