Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
Woodpecker Family (Picidae)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker, reaching about 9" in length. Has a white nape, black breast, pale-lemon sometimes speckled belly, white strip running down the side, black and whitish scalloped barring on the back (with a yellowish buff) and wings, and a white rump. The male has a red crown and throat (bordered black), while the female has red (common) or black (sometimes with a few red feathers) crown and a white (sometimes with a few red feathers) throat. Juveniles are similar to adult, but head markings paler and black markings brown. Typical breeding season is from June through July. Tree cavity nester usually in live aspen and poplar or dead birch trees. Has a usual clutch size of 2-7 white eggs. Call is a nasal mewing me-ah; on territory a more emphatic quee-ark. Drumming a distinctive slow irregular tapping. Will drum to announce its territory using trees and human objects such as street signs. Breeding populations found in deciduous forests, mixed hardwoods and conifers of the northern US, Canada and the Appalachians. Most migrate to the southeastern US, West Indies, Mexico, and Central America for the winter. Eats sap, insects, and fruit. Makes deep round holes (which are not enlarged) and shallow rectangular holes (enlarged to keep sap flowing) in trees (including alder, birch, maple, and poplar) to harvest the tree's sap. It also eats the cambium from the shallow holes. New holes are created in a line with the older ones or in new lines above the older ones.
Listed as endangered in OH; species of special concern in NC & TN; and rare in MD & WV.
