Fire head juice tasty
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Fire head Saftlecker ( Sphyrapicus ruber ) |
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| ( Gmelin , 1788) |
The fire head sap licker ( Sphyrapicus ruber ) is a North American woodpecker the size of a variegated woodpecker from the genus of sap lickers ( Sphyrapicus ) within the subfamily of the real woodpeckers (Picinae) . The Feuerkopf-Saftlecker occurs from the southernmost Alaska to Southern California near the Pacific in a predominantly quite narrow strip and is not uncommon in its area of distribution.
Feuerkopf-Saftlecker and Rotnacken-Saftlecker are sister species that form a super species together with the yellow-bellied juicer . Until 1983, they were considered a subspecies of Sphyrapicus varius , the yellow-bellied sap lickers. Their ranges are largely clearly separated from one another, but in some regions where hybrids between these species are found overlap , most often between the two sister species.
Firehead sap-lovers are mostly resident birds or short-distance migrants ; Like all other juice treats, they feed on tree sap, insects, fruits and berries. They are one of the few species of woodpecker that does not exhibit sexual dimorphism . Red-backed Zimtelfen nest in their immediate vicinity , and they cover part of their nutritional needs from the woodpecker's sap holes.
The species, of which two well-differentiated subspecies are recognized, is considered not endangered.
Appearance
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The firing head Saftlecker is an almost middle-sized remarkably colored Specht, the body having a maximum length of 22 cm approximately the size of a spotted woodpecker achieved. However, it is significantly slimmer and more graceful than this one, so that its weight is only between 40 and 50 grams. The species is one of the few woodpeckers that does not show sexual dimorphism, so that a distinction between the sexes in the field can only be inferred from behavior. The identification of the species should always be possible without any doubt if the observation conditions are sufficient. It is more difficult to determine the hybrids that show the characteristics of the parents to different degrees.
The head, chest and neck of nominated woodpeckers are vermilion. In the chest area the red is clearly and sharply set off from the rest of the abdominal plumage. In the area of the eyes, black plumage areas can be seen, and a yellowish-orange, sometimes even white beard stripe runs with very different degrees of clarity from the base of the beak to below the ear covers, but is often only hinted at or is missing entirely. The base of the upper bill is clearly feathered in white, that of the lower bill shows indistinct black areas of feathers. Black feather areas can be seen in different intensities, especially below the ear covers. Shoulders, back and rump are irregularly lightly banded on a black background, these banding from the shoulders to the lower back lightening from a light shade of yellow to white and forming two distinctive, flocked-looking stripes running almost parallel from the shoulder area to the lower back. The upper tail-coverts are black except for the white tips. The tail feathers are black, only the inner pair is banded in white and the two outer feathers have cinnamon-colored lightening on the outer tails. The wings are black. Extensive white areas in the area of the middle and large wing coverts create the white, elongated wing field that is characteristic of all types of sap litter. All arm and hand wings are banded white on their outer flags and lined with white at the top. The belly side is dirty-white to straw yellow and especially on the sides and on the lower tail-coverts it is drawn like arrowheads in dark gray, with some individuals also only dashed blackish. The eyes are dark brown. The bill, the featherless area of the feet and the toes are slate gray.
The subspecies S. r. daggetti differs from the nominate form mainly in the drawing of the head. In most cases, a clear, white streak of beard of different lengths can be seen. When fully formed, it extends, tapering off in a hook shape, to under the ear covers. The red of the head, neck and chest is less saturated than that of S. r. ruber and merges into the dirty white-yellowish plumage in the abdominal area. Black feather shafts can also be seen to varying degrees in the head, neck and throat area.
The sexes are alike in all essential plumage characteristics, in size and weight. The only difference, which is usually not evaluable by field ornithology, is that females usually have a somewhat clearer and more extensive white marking of the central pair of tail feathers. In the birds on Haida Gwaii , the beaks of the males are on average 6% longer than those of the females.
The flight is the typical arched woodpecker flight with a series of strong, fast wing beats in the upward phase and fully applied wings in the downward phase.
Moulting and juvenile plumage
The young leave the breeding cave fully molted into juvenile plumage. This youth plumage essentially shows the pattern distribution of the adult plumage, but differs in the colors. Above all, the red parts of the adult plumage are dark brownish with a slightly reddish sheen in freshly fledged fire head sap litter. Less noticeable is the more distinct blackish markings of the abdominal plumage and the hint of a banding in the central back area. The moulting into the adult plumage begins immediately after the flight and proceeds very quickly, so that young woodpeckers are difficult to distinguish from adults even in late summer.
hybrid
The Feuerkopf-Saftlecker hybridizes with both the yellow-bellied juice and the red-naped juice-treat. The distribution areas of the fiery sap licker and yellow-bellied sap licker overlap in a small area in northern British Columbia, that of the fiery sap sap licker and red neck sap licker in many places along their east and west borders. The two subspecies also hybridize, especially in southern Oregon . All hybrids show the plumage characteristics of the parents in varying degrees and clarity. They appear to be fully fertile and give birth to fully fertile offspring.
Vocalizations
The repertoire of vocal expressions of the species is rich and individually quite variable. The woodpeckers are acoustically most noticeable during the pre-breeding season. The most frequent call expressed in both a territorial and a sexual context is a kijeeh , which can sound long and plaintive but also short and sharp (example of a Kiejeeh call). In conflicts, for example in district disputes are pressed by both sexes to hear rough-full of clicks sounds, which in English Waa calls are called ( Waa-calls ). Both sexes drum, the male more frequently, louder and longer. The drum rolls begin with a rapid sequence, which ends with single beats or short, intermittent elements "dripping" (drums on a metal roof).
distribution and habitat
The northernmost brood occurrences of the fire head sap lickers are in southwest Alaska and in the coastal and inland areas of British Columbia and extend eastward to the eastern chain of the Cascade Mountains ; this includes Kodiak Island , Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii . To the south, they encompass the western, Pacific third of Washington and Oregon. In California, the distribution area extends in the north to the western part of Modoc County and south along the coastal mountains to Sonoma . Close to the coast there is still a disjoint population in Marin County . In the Cascade Mountains, the distribution extends south into Kern County . There are also several isolated occurrences, for example on Mount Pinos , in the San Bernardino Mountains , in the highlands around San Diego and in the San Jacinto Mountains . In the east there are islands of distribution on Lake Tahoe and possibly in Mohave County in western Arizona . As a rare summer visitor, the species was also found in Wallowa County in eastern Oregon.
Feuerkopf-Saftlecker breed in quite different forest communities from sea level to heights of 2900 m. Coniferous forests of yellow pine , western Weymouth pine , coastal pine , Douglas fir , magnificent fir and various types of spruce are preferred . In lowlands and in woody trees that accompany rivers, it breeds in quaking aspen and other poplar and willow species . The species is also found in large orchards as well as in other, heavily anthropogenic, tree-lined landscapes. A certain proportion of dead wood or at least severely damaged trees is essential to create the breeding caves.
In winter, Feuerkopf sap-lickers are more likely to be found in deciduous forests or more densely covered with deciduous trees. Mixed stands of western balsam poplar , red alder and various types of maple are often sought out, as are the dense primeval forests near the coast whose main trees are the Douglas fir and the giant tree of life . Even in winter, the vertical distribution of the species is between sea level and altitudes of around 3000 m.
hikes
Fire-headed juicers move less and less far than other species of juicer. Birds of the nominate form are mostly resident birds. Individuals breeding further inland move to the coast, while breeding birds in the mountainous areas move to lower regions. The willingness to move is slightly higher in the subspecies S. r. daggetti . The birds that breed in the northernmost area completely leave the breeding area in autumn and mostly move close to the coast or along the long valleys to central and southern California, sometimes as far as the northern area of Baja California .
Territoriality and space requirements
In the pre-breeding season, Feuerkopf sap-lovers occupy territories and show their territorial claim primarily by shouts and drums. The cave tree itself and some sap trees in the center of the area are vigorously defended. Conspecifics and cave competitors are vehemently attacked here. They keep the same nest distance to other sap lickers, especially the pine sap lickers, as they do to their own species. Little information is available on the size of the territories: In British Columbia, an average territory size of almost 6 hectares was determined.
Food and subsistence
Like all sap eaters, firehead sap eaters feed on both tree saps and insects. In autumn and winter, fruits, berries, seeds and bark are important nutritional components.
To obtain sap, Feuerkopf sap-lickers exploit a large number of different coniferous and deciduous trees. Damaged trees or trees that already have sap holes seem to be preferred. Important juice suppliers include: West American hemlock , rocky mountain fir , purple fir , coastal pine , Jeffrey pine and Douglas fir , and among the deciduous trees red alder , paper birch , Oregon maple and various willow and poplar species . Fruits, berries and seeds play an important role in autumn and winter, especially white berries ( Sorbus sp.) Are an important source of energy. Bark bast is also increasingly consumed during this time.
Throughout the year, fire-headed sap-lickers eat insects that they either happen to find in the sap holes or that they chase after. In the pre-breeding and breeding seasons, insects, especially ants , are the main source of food. They also represent the rearing food for the young. In addition to ants, flies, aphids and beetles play a certain role. Feuerkopf-sap-lickers cut small, slightly upwardly inclined bowl holes in radial rings into the sap-bearing layer of the sap trees. Occasionally they also hack larger areas. Sap holes are mainly found in the trunk area, less often on strong, vertical branches. The woodpeckers, usually with their heads tilted to the side, ingest the sap with their tongues. They prey on insects by searching the surface of the bark, poking into cracks and crevices or removing larger pieces of bark from the dead wood. Flying insects are also caught in short lunges. Occasionally, Firehead Juice Lovers will dip the nestling food into juice holes before feeding it.
Breeding biology
Feuerkopf juice treats become sexually mature towards the end of their first year of life. Most also breed for the first time at this age. The pair bond is largely monogamous and extends over one breeding season. Due to the high local loyalty of both sexes, re-pairings of last year's breeding partners are common. Feuerkopf Juice Lickers breed once a year. Replacement broods are likely if the clutch is lost early, but not documented.
Courtship and cave construction
The courtship begins immediately after the females arrive in the breeding area and shows the typical courtship elements that are also found in the agonistically motivated behavioral repertoire of the species. The area owner documents his claim to the area by loud drumming, by shouting and by slow expressive flights within the area boundaries. He draws attention to sap trees and cave trees by tapping gently. In order to reduce the individual aggression distances, the two woodpeckers sit opposite each other under head-wings, but mostly with lowered beak, ruffled head plumage and slightly spread wings. The copulations begin in the first phase of cave construction. Even after the pairing, the partners keep a relatively large individual distance.
Cave construction begins in British Columbia in the last decade of April, and probably a little earlier in areas to the south. The cave tree is usually in close proximity to the sap trees and other food trees. In the vast majority of cases, the species makes its nest holes in dead wood or in dead parts of still living trees. A large number of different conifers and deciduous trees can be used. The caves are almost always at least five meters above the ground and can be at heights of over 50 m. The male does the main work of cave construction; The participation of the female varies from person to person and can also be omitted entirely. Depending on the substrate, the construction process takes 6 days to two weeks, in exceptional cases up to four weeks.
Brood and rearing of young
The clutches contain 4–7 pure white, matt shiny eggs with an average size of 23.6 × 18 mm. They are placed at daily intervals. The earliest clutches were found in the last week of April; the average start of breeding within the entire range is mid-May. Fresh clutches can still be found into June. There is no precise information about the incubation period, but it should be at least 11 days, but on average 14 days. As with almost all woodpecker species, the male breeds at night; During the day, the partners take turns at very short intervals. The young hatch within a very short period of time, so that the developmental differences between them are relatively small. They are fed and flocked by both parents. Both partners also remove the poop bags. Occasionally, non-breeding conspecifics, but also hybrid woodpeckers, were found to be helpers in nesting caves. In the first week the male sleeps in the brood cavity. The young woodpeckers develop quickly. At 14 days they are completely feathered. They leave the nest between their 23rd and 28th day of life; at this point in time they have already molted into juvenile plumage and have limited flight capabilities. After the flight, the parents try to lead the young to sap trees. Parental care continues for a few more days, but the overall lead time is very short. No information is available on the dismigration of the young woodpecker.
Breeding Success, Life Expectancy, and Mortality
There are no detailed data on breeding success and life expectancy. Like all small and medium-sized woodpeckers, firehead sap-lickers are frequent prey for various species of birds of prey such as the round-tailed sparrow , the corner- tailed sparrow or the hawk . Young birds and eggs belong to the range of prey of some martens , squirrels and bears as well as tree-climbing snakes, especially Pituophis catenifer . Young woodpeckers often have an accident in the first few days after leaving the island and in particularly cold winters, when the sap no longer flows, this can lead to very severe populations in non-migrating northern populations.
Systematics
The firehead sap licker is one of the four species in the genus Sphyrapicus , the sister genus of Melanerpes . The genus evidently separated into two lines very early on, one that includes the S. varius - super species with yellow-bellied sap lickers ( Sphyrapicus varius ), fire-head sap lickers and red-necked sap lickers ( Sphyrapicus nuchalis ), and a second with the pine sap lickers ( Sphyrapicus thyroideus ) as the only representative. The Feuerkopf-Saftlecker and its sister species S. nuchalis finally split off from S. varius .
Probably the common ancestors of the Saplecker woodpeckers of the genus Melanerpes . Feuerkopf-Saftlecker and Rotnacken-Saftlecker were long considered to be subspecies of the yellow-bellied juice-treat. It was not until the 6th edition of the Checklist of North American Birds in 1983 that the S. varius group was split into three types. The AOU thus followed the findings of Ned K. Johnson and Robert M. Zink, who for the first time indicated the genetic distance within the varius group.
Two subspecies are currently recognized, which differ relatively clearly in the different head markings. The distribution limit between the two subspecies lies in a fairly wide belt in southern Oregon.
- Sphyrapicus ruber ruber ( Gmelin , 1788) : southern Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, northern and central Oregon.
- Sphyrapicus ruber daggetti Grinnell , 1901 : Southern Oregon, California, and Western Nevada.
Inventory and inventory development
Current, supraregional surveys are not available. Smaller studies show different trends, one slightly positive in Oregon and one slightly negative in California. In the approximately 1 million km² area of distribution, 3 million reproductive individuals are assumed. Population losses, which according to IUCN would justify the criteria for the inclusion of the species in a hazard category, cannot currently be determined, therefore the population of the Feuerkopf-Saftleckers is not considered endangered and is rated LC (= least concern).
Overall, the size of the population of the species is relatively difficult to determine because, despite their relatively high breeding site loyalty, fire-headed sap leavers can disappear for years from areas where they previously frequently occurred without clear reasons for such a fluctuation being discernible. The species reacts sensitively to modern forestry measures, in particular to the large-scale removal of dead wood.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Introduction
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Introduction
- ↑ a b BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - Sphyrapicus ruber
- ↑ Determination by Steven A. Shunk by e-mail, see also: Recognizing Hybrids ( Memento of the original from June 26, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.3 MB)
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Appearance
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Systematics
- ↑ Winkler et al (1995) p. 223
- ↑ Stephen A. Shunk: Sapsucker Hybrids. Recognizing Hybrids ( Memento of the original from June 26, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.3 MB)
- ↑ Tayler Brooks: XC36976 (MP3) xeno-canto.org. July 8, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ↑ Andrew Spencer: XC76214 (MP3) xeno-canto.org. April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ↑ Matt Goff: XC77313 (MP3) xeno-canto.org. May 5, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Habitat
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Spacing
- ↑ Determination by Steven A. Shunk by e-mail, see also: Recognizing Hybrids ( Memento of the original from June 26, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.3 MB)
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Food Capture and Consumption
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Breeding / Site Characteristics
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Breeding / Construction Process
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Young Birds / Growth and Development
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Cooperative Breeding
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Parental Care
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Predation
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Causes of Mortality
- ^ Ned K. Johnson and Robert M. Zink: Speciation in Sapsuckers. (Sphyrapicus) I. Genetic Differentiation. In: Auk: Vol. 100, No. 4, October-December, 1983
- ↑ Winkler et al (1995) p. 223
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Population Status / Trends
- ↑ Walters et al. (2002) Population Regulation
literature
- Eric L. Walters, Edward H. Miller, and Peter E. Lowther: Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) . IN: The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from Birds of North America Online 2002 [no page numbers]
- Hans Winkler , David A. Christie and David Nurney: Woodpeckers. A Guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets, and Wrynecks of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge 1995, ISBN 0-395-72043-5 , pp. 68-69 and 223-224.
- Hans Winkler: Family Picidae (Woodpeckers) In: del Hoyo, Elliott and Sargatal (Eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 7 (Jacamars to Woodpeckers) Lynx Ediciones Barcelona 2002 pp. 274-419 and 452-453; ISBN 84-87334-37-7
Web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings for Sphyrapicus ruber in the Internet Bird Collection
- Sphyrapicus ruber in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2013.2. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2014.