Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
At a Glance
Although its name sounds like a cartoonist's invention, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker does exist. This species is common in the north and east, and is replaced by close relatives in the west. Quiet in winter, it becomes noisy in spring, with cat-like calls and staccato drumming.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Tree-clinging Birds, Woodpeckers
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Forests and Woodlands, Freshwater Wetlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Region
Alaska and The North, California, Eastern Canada, Florida, Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, Northwest, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Southwest, Texas, Western Canada
Behavior
Flap/Glide, Undulating
Population
14.000.000
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
One of the most migratory of woodpeckers, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has essentially no overlap between its summer and winter ranges. Northwestern breeders migrate east as well as south. It winters commonly in the southeastern United States but also south to Central America and the West Indies.
Description
Length: 7.1–8.7 in (18–22 cm); wingspan: 13.4–15.8 in (34–40 cm); weight: 1.5–1.9 oz (43–55 g). The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker with a stout, straight bill and a stiff, pointed tail. It features a bold black-and-white face pattern with a bright red forehead cap. The back is mottled black and white, distinguished by a bold vertical white stripe along the folded wing. Underparts are whitish with a pale yellow wash on the belly and a black crescent on the chest. Males sport a vibrant red throat, while females have a white throat. Juveniles are brownish and dusky overall.
Size
About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Brown, Red, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Broad, Rounded
Tail Shape
Multi-pointed, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Mewing and whining notes.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat
Call Type
Chirp/Chip, Rattle, Scream
Habitat
Woodlands, aspen groves; in winter, also orchards, other trees. In summer mostly in mixed coniferous and deciduous woods, especially around aspens. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker may be found in any kind of woods or even dry brush in migration. Winters mostly in deciduous trees.
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Behavior
Eggs
5-6, sometimes 3-7. White. Incubation is by both sexes (with male incubating at night and part of day), 12-13 days. Both Yellow-bellied sapsucker parents feed young, bringing them insects, sap, and fruit. Young leave nest 25-29 days after hatching. Parents teach young the sapsucking habit, feed them for about 10 days after they leave nest. 1 brood per year.
Young
Both parents feed their young, often insects. Yellow-bellied sapsucker parents have been observed coating insects in sap before bringing them to their young, but it is unclear whether this is a consistent behavior. Young tend to fledge 25-29 days post hatching, and families tend to stay together at this point. However, parents stop feeding between 2-14 days post fledging.
Feeding Behavior
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drills tiny holes in tree bark, usually in neatly spaced rows, and then returns to them periodically to feed on the sap that oozes out. It also eats bits of cambium and other tree tissues, as well as insects that are attracted to the sap. Besides drilling sap wells, this bird also gleans insects from tree trunks in more typical woodpecker fashion, and sallies out to catch insects in the air. Berries and fruits are eaten at all seasons, and these birds may concentrate in fruiting wild trees in winter.
Diet
Includes insects, tree sap, fruit. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker feeds on a wide variety of insects, including many ants (taken from tree trunks). Also regularly feeds on tree sap, and on berries and fruits
Nesting
Males of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker tend to arrive on breeding grounds before females. Courtship displays include pointing their bills up to show off their colored throat patches and engaging in ritualized tapping at the nest site. The nest site is a cavity in a tree, usually a deciduous tree such as aspen, poplar, or birch, located 6-60 feet above the ground. They often use the same tree in consecutive years, though rarely the same nest hole. These birds favor trees affected by tinder fungus, which softens the heartwood while leaving the outer part of the trunk firm. Both sexes help excavate the nest.
Conservation
Conservation Status
The Yellow-bellied sapsucker has disappeared from several southerly areas where it formerly nested, but it is still widespread and numerous.
Climate Threats Facing the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
