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1 June 2000 Helping Behavior within Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus spp.)
Cynthia Trombino
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Abstract

I documented interspecific and intraspecific helping behavior (more than two adults feeding young at a nest) within sapsuckers of the genus Sphyrapicus. Of 120 nests, 97 belonged to Red-breasted (Sphyrapicus ruber), Red-naped (Sphyrapicus nuchalis), or hybrid (Red-breasted × Red-naped) sapsuckers, and 23 to Williamson's Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus thyroideus). Interspecific helping behavior was observed at two nests (1 with a Red-breasted × Red-naped and hybrid female, 1 with Red-breasted × Red-breasted and Williamson's male) and intraspecific helping behavior (Red-breasted male) was observed at one nest. Given the rarity of helping behavior observed in these species a functional advantage is unlikely; individuals that helped might simply have been responding to a feeding stimulus.

Cynthia Trombino "Helping Behavior within Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus spp.)," The Wilson Bulletin 112(2), 273-275, (1 June 2000). https://doi.org/10.1676/0043-5643(2000)112[0273:HBWSSS]2.0.CO;2
Received: 9 August 1999; Accepted: 1 December 1999; Published: 1 June 2000
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