Their mottled back pattern camouflages them on tree trunks, but yellow-bellied sapsuckers leave behind telltale small, weeping holes in trees.
The head and upperparts of the adult yellow-bellied sapsucker are black and white with a red crown. There is a white band on the middle part of the wing and a white rump. Males have a red throat; females have a white throat. The underparts are whitish with a yellow wash on the belly. Juveniles have a brownish head, neck, and throat.
They produce a variety of squealing calls, often not loud: a descending churr, mews, and weep-weep. Also listen for an irregular tap-tap, tap-tap-tap, tap, tap-tap-tap drumming pattern, like Morse Code, which is characteristic.
Similar species: In Missouri, the two most common woodpeckers with which it might be confused are the downy and hairy woodpeckers. Though also rather small, they both have a black crown, solid white undersides, and small white spots on their wings instead of a broad white band.
Length: 8½ inches (tip of bill to tip of tail).
Statewide.
Habitat and Conservation
The yellow-bellied sapsucker forages on trees in forests, orchards, and parks.
The mottled pattern on their backs helps sapsuckers blend in with the tree trunks upon which they perch, including the portions of bark wettened and darkened by draining sap.
Because of the damage they can inflict on trees and their habit of eating fruit, they were formerly viewed as “injurious” and shot. They are protected today, and few view them as pests. Populations appear to be stable.
Food
Forages on trees for insects, fruits, nuts, and berries. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers are woodpeckers that drill small, often evenly and closely spaced holes in trees in order to extract the sweet sap. In the process of drilling, sapsuckers eat the inner bark, drink the sap, and catch insects such as ants that are attracted to the sap.
Status
Uncommon migrant; uncommon (south) and rare (north) winter resident. Rare in winter south of the Missouri River, and usually absent in northern Missouri. In the past, it was probably a rare breeder along the Mississippi River north of St. Louis.
Life Cycle
This is the most migratory woodpecker in eastern North America, with the breeding range in Canada, the Great Lakes, and New England, and the wintering range extending as far south as Panama.
Missouri is at the northern limit of the wintering range; they do not breed in Missouri. They are present in our state from mid-September through the end of April. Their numbers peak during migration in March and October.
Like other woodpeckers, they are cavity nesters. There are 4-6 eggs per clutch, and incubation lasts 10-13 days. The young fledge after 25-30 days.
Human Connections
When sapsuckers drill too many holes in any one tree, especially in small trees, they can girdle it, cutting off the flow of sap to the branches, possibly killing the tree. This is more of a problem with birch trees in northern states, but when it happens in orchards and other trees important to humans, it can be a problem. In most cases, these woodpeckers do not cause serious damage to mature trees.
Because of their camouflage and uncommon occurrence, many people don't see them, but these woodpeckers do leave behind a curious pattern of shallow drill holes in trees, which is an interesting way to discover and learn about these seemingly secretive birds.
"Yellow-bellied": is this animal cowardly? It's unknown how "yellow-bellied" came to be a slang term for "cowardly," but in the case of animals, yellow-bellied is a literal descriptor for something with yellow or yellowish undersides, like this sapsucker, the yellow-bellied flycatcher, the yellow-bellied slider, and the yellow-bellied marmot.
Ecosystem Connections
Although sapsuckers may defend their sap wells, several other animals, such as squirrels, other birds, and insects, take advantage of the sweet sap pooling in the holes. If you see a squirrel clinging sideways on a wet section of tree trunk, it may be licking sap from sapsucker drill holes.
Hummingbirds may find their first meals of the season at sapsucker holes, which are usually available before flower nectar.
If this is the yellow-bellied sapsucker, are there other sapsuckers, too? Yes! There are three more species, all found in North America: the red-naped sapsucker is widespread in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin region; the red-breasted sapsucker ranges along the West Coast's Pacific Coast ranges from Alaska to northern California; and Williamson's sapsucker ranges from southwestern Canada into central Mexico.
About 350 species of birds are likely to be seen in Missouri, though nearly 400 have been recorded within our borders. Most people know a bird when they see one — it has feathers, wings, and a bill. Birds are warm-blooded, and most species can fly. Many migrate hundreds or thousands of miles. Birds lay hard-shelled eggs (often in a nest), and the parents care for the young. Many communicate with songs and calls.