# Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (*Sphyrapicus varius*) The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a special woodpecker with a bright yellow belly! They make holes in trees to drink the sweet sap inside. You can often hear their funny tapping sounds in the forest. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 28 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Yellow-bellied Sapsucker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Yellow-bellied_sapsucker_%28Sphyrapicus_varius%29_female.JPG&width=800) Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yellow-bellied_sapsucker_%28Sphyrapicus_varius%29_female.JPG) ## Appearance The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has a distinctive black and white barred back, a bold white stripe on its folded wing, and a red cap. Males also feature a bright red throat, contrasting with the yellowish wash on its belly. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Piciformes - **Family:** Picidae - **Genus:** Sphyrapicus ## Interesting facts - A sapsucker's drumming isn't just for food; it's a unique language used to attract mates and mark territory! - Look for trees with rows of small, square holes; that's a sign a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has been dining there! - These birds drill "sap wells" that other animals, like hummingbirds and squirrels, visit for a sugary snack! - They don't just eat sap! Baby sapsuckers are fed insects, fruit, and even a little sap to help them grow. ## Special abilities - **Sap Architect:** Yellow-bellied Sapsucker can create neat rows of shallow holes in tree bark because it provides a steady flow of nutritious sap. - **Sweet Tooth Tongue:** Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has a specialized brush-tipped tongue that helps it lap up tree sap efficiently from its sap wells. - **Cavity Creator:** Yellow-bellied Sapsucker can excavate new nest cavities annually that provide homes for other forest creatures. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 19-21 cm - **Wingspan:** 34-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.043-0.055 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-7 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 10-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Feeds mainly on tree sap, collected from its own drilled holes, supplemented with insects and fruits. - **Age differences:** Young birds are fed mostly insects and fruit, gradually switching to a sap-heavy diet. - **Primary Foods:** Tree sap, Ants, Beetles, Berries, Fruit - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Red Maple](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-maple) (*Acer rubrum*) — Provides sap for food. - **Depends on:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — Drinks sap from sapsucker wells. - **Shelter:** [Northern Flying Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-flying-squirrel) (*Glaucomys sabrinus*) — Uses old sapsucker cavities for nests. - **Eaten by:** [American Kestrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-kestrel) (*Falco sparverius*) — Hunted by this bird of prey. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-bellied Sapsucker? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Yellow-bellied Sapsucker? 19-21 cm ### What is Yellow-bellied Sapsucker's wingspan? 34-40 cm ### How much does Yellow-bellied Sapsucker weigh? 0.043-0.055 kg ### How long does Yellow-bellied Sapsucker live? 4-7 years ### How fast can Yellow-bellied Sapsucker move? 55 km/h ### What does Yellow-bellied Sapsucker eat? Feeds mainly on tree sap, collected from its own drilled holes, supplemented with insects and fruits. ### Where is Yellow-bellied Sapsucker usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Algonquin Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/algonquin-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park - [Cedarville State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarville-state-forest) — Maryland, US · Forest - [Ebenezer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ebenezer) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Foley Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foley-downtown-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Fox Chase Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fox-chase-farm) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic Site - [Glen Haven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glen-haven) — Michigan, US · Historic District [View all places to see Yellow-bellied Sapsucker](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-bellied-sapsucker) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-bellied-sapsucker)