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Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Photo by RedTopRanger
Published on Project Noah
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31.0686, -81.4134

Field Notes

Description:

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are fairly small woodpeckers with stout, straight bills. The long wings extend about halfway to the tip of the stiff, pointed tail at rest. Often, sapsuckers hold their crown feathers up to form a peak at the back of the head.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are mostly black and white with boldly patterned faces. Both sexes have red foreheads, and males also have red throats. Look for a long white stripe along the folded wing. Bold black-and-white stripes curve from the face toward a black chest shield and white or yellowish underparts.

Habitat:

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers live in both hardwood and conifer forests up to about 6,500 feet elevation. They often nest in groves of small trees such as aspens, and spend winters in open woodlands. Occasionally, sapsuckers visit bird feeders for suet.

Notes:

I like to tell people that these are "vampire woodpeckers" because they poke holes into a trees skin (bark) and drink its blood (sap!).

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