ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Photo by Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery

Yellow-bellied sapsuckers pass through Ohio from late March into April. They remain rare and very locally distributed residents. The Ohio Division of Wildlife lists the yellow-bellied sapsucker as endangered.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

At-a-Glance

• Peak Breeding Activity: April-May

• Incubation: 12-13 days

• Clutch Size: 3-7 eggs

• Young Fledge: 25-29 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: insects and sap

• Ohio Status: Species of Concern

Description
The sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker that has a red forecrown on a black-and-white head. The chin and throat are red in males, white in females. The wings are black spotted with white and have a large white patch. The rump is white and the underparts are pale yellow.

Habitat and Habits
Yellow-bellied sapsuckers occupy wet deciduous forests or the margins of bogs where yellow birch, beech and aspen are prevalent.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Most sapsuckers breed in northern deciduous forests, but Ohio hosts a small nesting population. They tend to make nests in dead trees and lay a clutch during May. They incubate their eggs for about two weeks and then both parents take turns bringing sap and insects to their young. Young sapsuckers fledge in late June or early July.