Bird Bio: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
It seems like it has been a long time since we did a good old fashioned bird bio, so why don’t we take a few minutes to unwind, forget the chaos of the holidays, and learn about a new bird together!
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Visiting Pine Tree
Photo credit: Eli Haislip
Perhaps while on a walk, or maybe even in your own yard, you have noticed a tree with neat little rows of small holes circling the trunk. These are known as “sapwells,” and the bird responsible is the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker. You could easily be excused if you’re thinking to yourself, “I’ve never seen one of these.” This member of the woodpecker family is the only species of woodpecker in the East that is completely migratory, and therefore, we only see them during the fall and winter months. Unusual for our eastern species of woodpeckers, Sapsuckers are quite the accomplished travelers. During the Spring Migration, they will make their way as far north as eastern Alaska, and in the Fall Migration, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have been documented as far south as Panama. Interestingly, there is evidence that the females generally migrate further south than males.
As their name implies, sap makes up a large percentage of their diet. They are very protective of their sapwells, defending them from other birds, including hummingbirds. Did you know that in parts of their northern range, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds depend on sapwells to such an extent that they time their arrival with that of the sapsuckers? Sapsuckers and hummingbirds both will feed on insects that get caught in the sticky tree sap. In addition, porcupines and even bats have been documented visiting the sapwells, making these an important food source in the northern United States and Canada.
Like other species of woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers make their nests in tree cavities they excavate in the spring. The male is responsible for the majority of excavation, usually taking two to three weeks to complete the cavity. The female then lays her clutch of four to six white eggs directly in the left over wood chips. The incubation period is 10-13 days, and then the nestling phase is around a month. Unlike other woodpecker species that construct a new cavity each year as part of their courtship, Sapsuckers have been observed using the same cavity for up to seven years!
Unlike many other species of birds, the overall population of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has actually INCREASED over the last 60 years, possibly because of more new growth forest habitat that they tend to favor. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, they have enjoyed a bounce back in population to the extent where there may be more Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers around today than in pre-settlement times. Once considered pests, especially in fruit orchards where they would often simply be shot, that is fortunately no longer the case. Contrary to popular belief, healthy trees are able to survive the shallow wells dug by the Sapsucker. Remember, a healthy tree can survive having entire branches removed by an arborist, so small less than quarter inch deep depressions in the bark won’t kill it.
All the information used in this article can be found HERE for further reading!
Gifts for Aspiring Birders
Did you know we also have gifts for the young and aspiring birdwatcher in your life? For the young bird enthusiast, we currently have the Peterson and Stokes Beginner Guides. ($9.99 and $10.99, respectively) These are both in the vein of proper field guides, complete with detailed illustrations or photographs, respectively, as well as ID information and range maps in the case of the Stokes guide. Another great book for kids who are passionate about birds is Backyard Birding for Kids. ($12.95) While this book includes birds that can be commonly spotted at feeders, it also goes into more detail about ornithology and ecology as a whole with information ranging from migration, types of flight, irruption years, and much more. This would be an excellent gift for the young birder who’s passion extends beyond simply what’s at the feeder. One of our bestselling books the last several years would make a great gift for the novice or more experienced birder alike! The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma ($34.99) literally has it all. Beautiful illustrations, detailed information, range maps, and the best part? By keying in the number on the page with the speaker box on the side of the book, you can hear the calls and songs of each bird!
Another popular line of items year round are the Wild Republic stuffed birds. ($12.00) There’s more to these stuffed animals than meets the eye, however. A light squeeze and the bird will emit the actual call of that species of bird, with the calls supplied by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. These are a great way for kids (and their parents or grandparents) to learn the calls of individual birds that are likely to be found in the backyard!
Christmas Hours
Lastly, let’s address our Christmas hours this season. We will be open Christmas Eve from 10:00 AM till 2:00 PM and we will be closed Christmas Day. Normal business hours will resume Thursday, December 26th!