Date: 7/25/25 4:29 pm From: Susan Campbell <susan...> Subject: Re: Huge Kettle of Common Ravens (Not in Carolinas) and strange appearing Downy WP
Hey--
Think that is not a Downy but a Ladder-backed. Do not believe Downys are found that far west....
Susan Campbell
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> on behalf of KEN LIPSHY <carolinabirds...>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 7:23:48 PM
To: Wayne Hoffman <whoffman...>
Cc: carolinabirds <carolinabirds...>
Subject: Re: Huge Kettle of Common Ravens (Not in Carolinas) and strange appearing Downy WP
THANK YOU!!!
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From: Wayne Hoffman <whoffman...>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 5:07:20 PM
To: KEN LIPSHY <wuzupdoc12...>
Cc: carolinabirds <carolinabirds...>
Subject: Re: Huge Kettle of Common Ravens (Not in Carolinas) and strange appearing Downy WP
Hi Ken -
In Santa Fe I think you are within the general range of both Common Ravens and Chihuahuan Ravens, and the latter gather in large roosts and are more likely to form large kettles. I am not sure I would be able to tell them apart in a large kettle high overhead.
As for the Downy Woodpecker: If you look at references (mostly old) that discuss subspecies, you will find evidence for a lot of geographic variation in Downies. Pyle's Identification guide is the most recent reference I have listing woodpecker subspecies, and it includes 7 subspecies of Downies. I agree that the one in your photo looks pretty different from the ones around here (and as different from the ones I knew from western Oregon).
Wayne Hoffman
Wilmington
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From: "KEN LIPSHY" <carolinabirds...>
To: "carolinabirds" <carolinabirds...>
Cc: "KEN LIPSHY" <wuzupdoc12...>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 6:21:11 PM
Subject: Huge Kettle of Common Ravens (Not in Carolinas) and strange appearing Downy WP
I apologize for this out of state Raven Behavior Question but this afternoon At the Audubon center in Santa Fe i counted well over 100 Common ravens in a kettle overhead.. … is that typical? I looked online to see but there is no mention of Raven Kettles that large.
Also there is a Downy WP photo on that page that looks quite different to me as well- welcome any input (I used to contact Ned Brinkley for out of state questions but sadly he is not with us)
