Bird
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus variusThe Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a small woodpecker with bold facial stripes, a white wing patch, and varying red on the crown and throat. It drills orderly rows of shallow wells and returns to drink sap and capture insects attracted to them.
Migratory WoodpeckerSap WellsForest Bird
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAnts, Beetles, Other insects
Predators
- Sharp-shinned Hawks
- Owls
- Martens
ThreatsLoss of nesting trees, forest conversion, window collisions, pesticide exposure, and severe weather
HabitatsYoung deciduous and mixed forest, aspen groves, orchards, parks, and wooded wetlands
Life spanOften several years; some banded birds survive more than eight years
Classification
- OrderPiciformes
- FamilyPicidae
- GenusSphyrapicus
- SpeciesSphyrapicus varius
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Leave sap wells and active cavity trees untouched because many animals use them.
Responsible observation
- Wells: Look for tidy horizontal rows of small holes in living bark.
- Wing: Notice the long white patch on the folded black wing.
- Distance: Observe repeated visits without standing beside the feeding tree.
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