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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Photo by suzmonk
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Woodpeckers (Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers) have been hard at work on the trunk of this Bradford Pear tree ... doesn't seem to bother the tree. I'm keeping an eye out for the birds, but I haven't seen them yet.

Reference Links:

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius - Overview, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, How to Identify and Control Sapsucker Injury on Trees

Species ID Suggestions

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius
OkieHerper
2

Comments (8)
suzmonk
Thank you, alicelongmartin ...
suzmonk
OK! Between OkieHerper's suggested ID and the link that Jemma sent, which said Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are the only members of the woodpecker family that cause this kind of damage ... I'm convinced. Thank you both.
HemaShah
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_sap/sap.htm
HemaShah
Maybe you can capture a picture of one of those beauties.We have red breasted Sap Suckers. Vibrant beauties!The red Breasted Sap Suckers interbreed with the Red-naped Sapsucker or Yellow-bellied Sapsucker where their ranges overlap
suzmonk
I learn something new on PN every day, Jemma. It never occurred to me that specific species of woodpeckers could be identified by the holes they leave in trees. Oh, brave new world, right? I looked at Google images of sapsuckers ... and we do see those here. How interesting.
HemaShah
Sap Sucker makes a lot of sense. These are lovely!! Very shy and wild . Hard to spot!!!!
suzmonk
Hi, OkieHerper! Nice to meet you, thanks for your ID suggestion. Is there something distinctive about the size of these woodpecker holes, or the pattern, or the kind of tree or some other factor that makes you say Yellow-bellied Sapsucker? Not doubting you, just really interested to learn ...

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PublishedSeptember 1, 2013

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