Wood Peckers
Table of ContentsÂ
Introduction
Wood peckers are specially designed to peck through the bark of trees to hunt insects. They will also nest in hollowed out trees, poles, and other similar places. Sapsuckers are a member of the woodpecker family which drill holes in trees for their sap.
Threats to Sapsuckers
Deforestation
Loss of Snags
As dead trees are cleared, these birds have nowhere to raise their young. Private land owners and communities frequently remove dead trees for aesthetic or safety reasons, however it's best for wildlife when we can leave them standing, or trim them so they won't land dangerously, but can still provide habitat and food for wildlife.
Types of Sapsuckers
These interesting creatures are part of the wood pecker family, but instead of hunting for bugs, they hunt for sap.
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Reliant Species
Other Bird Species
Various species of bird will adopt abandoned sapsucker holes to nest in.
Hummingbirds
As sapsuckers head north along their migratory routes in the Americas, humming birds follow along behind and drink from the sapsucker holes when they can't find nectar.
Sapsucker Diets
Sick trees are preferred because they produce more sap. Sapsuckers are sometimes blamed for killing trees, but their visits may be a sign that the tree is already sick or stressed.Â
"Nearly all species of birch and maple are acceptable trees but they will also use certain species of spruce and sometimes hemlock, cottonwood, aspen, mountain ash or pine. Sapsuckers play an important role here and should not be persecuted or blamed for killing trees. The red-naped sapsucker may be found in the Cypress Hills but the one you are most likely to see is the yellow-bellied sapsucker, which also feeds on insects. It is unusual in that it prefers to excavate a nest in a living tree, most often trembling aspen." - Wild Birds Unlimited
Trees
Aspen
Birch
Cottonwood
Hemlock
Maple
Mountain Ash
Pine
Spruce
Insects
Tools & Apps
Africa
Namibia
Atlasing in Namibia: Bird Information System "Citizen science projects recording biodiversity and cultural heritage in Namibia"
Resources & Guides
How-To Guide
NestWatch: All About Birdhouses includes resources such as the interactive "Right Bird, Right House" tool, trouble shooting guides, and tips for installing cameras.
Roost Box for Songbirds (PDF)
Winter Roost Plans from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PDF)
Maps
North America
Red-Naped Sapsucker
Red-naped Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus nuchalis offers several mapsÂ
Red-naped Sapsucker Range Map "Short-distant migrant. Red-naped Sapsuckers start departing for wintering grounds in the Southwest and farther south into Mexico in late August. They start heading north again in late March or early April."Â
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Range Map "Short- to long-distance migrant. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers depart their breeding range in September and early October for wintering grounds in the southern U.S., Mexico, West Indies, and Central America. They arrive back north in May. Females tend to migrate farther south than males, with a ratio of more than three females to one male having been counted in Central America."
Williamson's SapsuckerÂ
ABC's Bird Library: Williamson's Sapsucker "Williamson's Sapsucker may be declining in some parts of its range due to habitat loss, particularly the loss of large snags (dead trees) required for nesting, especially on private lands."
BirdWeb: Williamson's Sapsucker has a migration map and breeding range map.
