A hybrid swarm ofDinopiumwoodpeckers in Sri Lanka

Phenotypic and genetic analysis support distinct species status of the Red-backed Woodpecker (Lesser Sri Lanka Flameback:Dinopium psarodes) of Sri Lanka

“…For example, in Wilpattu National Park in northwestern Sri Lanka (08.378N, 80.088E), we observed a nest with nestlings where the parent male was a D. psarodes and the female was a D. b. jaffnense. A previous observer also has noted similar heterospecific pairs in this same region (Freed et al 2015).…”

“…Furthermore, Freed et al (2015) showed that these intermediate types are found in the north-central part of the island. However, a quantitative analysis of these different plumage patterns in the Dinopium complex has not been attempted.…”

“…Among Dinopium, D. benghalense consists of 6 subspecies or races, distributed across South Asia (Gill and Donsker 2014), with 2 in Sri Lanka: D. b. jaffnense (Golden-backed Woodpecker) in the north and D. b. psarodes (Red-backed Woodpecker) in the south (Rasmussen andAnderton 2012, Gorman 2014). Many color variations have been observed within the Sri Lankan forms (e.g., Legge 1880, Baker 1927, Wait 1931, Whister 1944, Philips 1953, Henry 1971, Rasmussen and Anderton 2012, Lamsfuss 2013, Gorman 2014, Fernando and Seneviratne 2015, Freed et al 2015.…”

“…Based on observations of plumage of Dinopium in the wild, a recent paper (Freed et al 2015) has described 8 intermediate plumage types, and assumed that these types are of hybrid origin. Furthermore, Freed et al (2015) showed that these intermediate types are found in the north-central part of the island.…”