48 The Canadian Field-Naturalist [Vol. XXXIIl 



AN UNRECOGNIZED SUBSPECIES OF MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS. 



By Harry C. Oberholser. 



There is in the west central United States and 

 adjacent portion of Canada an unrecognized sub- 

 species of Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Mr. Ridg- 

 way, years ago, called attention^ to the difference in 

 size and color between specimens of this species from 

 the eastern United States and those from the region 

 of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, but 

 made no subspecific separation on account of the 

 more or less intermediate character of the birds 

 from the Mississippi valley. A recanvass of the 

 matter, however, shows that the bird from the 

 Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains is sub- 

 specifically distinct and therefore deserves recog- 

 nition in nomenclature. It has an available name, 

 however, as we shall explain, and should stand as 

 Melanerpes erythrocephalus erythrophth- 

 ALMUS, subsp. resiit. 



Melanerpes erythrophlhalmus Silloway, Bull. 

 Fergus County Free High School, No. 1, 1903, 

 p. 36. 



Chars, subsp. Similar to Melanerpes erythroce- 

 phalus erythrocephalus, but decidedly larger; ab- 

 domen more strongly tinged with yellow, and more 

 often with red. 



Measurements. Male:- wing, 142-149.5 (aver- 

 age, 145.6) mm..; tail, 72.5-81 (77.1); exposed cul- 

 men, 26.5-28; tarsus, 22.5-24.5 (23.5); middle toe 

 without claw, 17.5-19 (18.2). 



Female:'^ wing, 140-144 (average, 142.6) mm.; 

 tail, 74-84.5 (78.1 ) ; exposed culmen, 27-30 (27.8) ; 

 tarsus, 20.5-24 (22.2); middle toe without claw, 

 18-19 (18.4). 



Type locality. Lewistown, Fergus County, 

 Montana. 



Geographic distribution. West central United 

 States and adjacent portion of Canada. Breeds north 

 to southern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, and 

 southeastern British Columbia; west to southeastern 

 British Columbia, central Montana, central Wyom- 

 mg, and central Colorado; south to northern New 

 Mexico, northwestern Texas, and southern Okla- 

 homa; and east to central Oklahoma, central 

 Nebraska and eastern North Dakota. Casual 

 northern Utah and southeastern Arizona. 



/^emar/fs. Size is the best and most reliable char 

 acter for distinguishing this subspecies.. The foil 

 ing measurements of Melanerpes erythrocephaL. 

 erythrocephalus from the central eastern United 



in 



ow- 

 us 



iBulL U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, pt. VI 1914 p 4" 

 Q :uV} fPecimen.s, from Colorado. Wyoming, and 

 South Dakota, measured by Mr. J. H. Riley 



3Six specimens, from Colorado, Wvomin- nnri 

 Oklahoma, measured by Mr. ,J. H. RileV. "' 



States will facilitate comparison with those of 

 Melanerpes erythrocephalus erythrophthalmus given 

 above : 



Male:^ wing, 134.5-145 (average, 138.1) mm.; 

 tail, 70.75.5 (73.2) ; exposed culmen, 25-29 (26.4) ; 

 tarsus, 22-23.5 (22.6) ; middle toe without claw, 

 17-18 (17.4). 



Female:' wing 133.5-138.5 (average, 135.6) 

 mm.; tail, 72.5-77 (74.5); exposed culmen, 25-26 

 (25.4); tarsus, 21-22 (21.7); middle toe without 

 claw, 17-18 (17.4). 



The color differences between these two races of 

 the red-headed woodpecker, while of value in sub- 

 specific characterization, are not constant enough 

 to be of much use in the identification of individual 

 specimens. The depth of the yellow tinge on the 

 abdomen, while appreciable in a series, is in indiv- 

 idual specimens often the same in both forms, while a 

 more or less evident tinge of red on the abdomen is 

 present is only 20 of 31 adult specimens of Mela- 

 nerpes erythrocephalus erythrophthalmus; while of 

 40 examples of Melanerpes erythrocephalus erythro- 

 cephalus from the eastern United States, 9 show 

 more or less evidence of red. In fact, one example 

 from Fort Meade, Florida (No. 78253, U.S. Nat. 

 Mus.), taken in June, 1879, has as much red on the 

 abdomen as any western bird that we have examined. 



Mr. Ridgway suggested" that if a Great Plains 

 race of this species were to be separated, the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley biid should be treated likewise be- 

 cause of its similarity in color to the birds from the 

 Great Plains and its corresponding difference from 

 those of the eastern United States. As we have 

 shown above, the differences in color between the 

 eastern and the farthest western birds is scarcely 

 constant enough to serve for their recognition in 

 absence of any other character; furthermore, of 31 

 adults from the Mississippi Valley, only 17 have 

 any red tinge on the abdomen, though practically 

 all have a more or less strong buffy suffusion. This, 

 in view of the fact that about one-fourth of the 

 eastern birds have at least an indication of red on 

 the abdomen, shows clearly that there is here no 

 color difference by any means constant enough for 

 the subspecific separation of the Mississipppi Valley 

 birds from those of the eastern United States, or 

 from those of the Great Plains. As will be seen, 

 however, they are, in this average color character 

 of red on the abdomen, somewhat nearer Melanerpes 



4Ten specimens, measured by Mr. J. H. Riley. 

 "Five specimens, measured by Mr. .J. H. Riley. 

 oBull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, pt. VI, 1914, p. 43. 



