Red-Breasted Sapsucker - Sierra Club BC
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Red-Breasted Sapsucker

CAN BE FOUND IN:

Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber 

Appearance

Red-breasted sapsuckers have a yellowish stomach with a bright red head and white “moustache”. Like all woodpeckers, they have a long, strong bill for drilling into trees. 

Range & Habitat

They are common in aspen and poplar forests. There are three species of sapsuckers in Canada; the red-breasted sapsucker is found in western B.C. and in coastal states in the U.S. 

Reciprocal relationships

Sapsuckers drill holes in rows across trees. They get their name from the sap they drink, along with insects that are stuck in the sap. They have adapted by having a special brush-like tongue to slurp up the sticky sap. These unique birds are important as bug and beetle populations have been increasing in trees. Often, when these insect populations are too large, they can end up killing large swaths of trees. Sapsuckers also release sap from the tree to become available for other beings, like bats and porcupines. 

They nest in mid-spring by creating a cavity in a dead section of a live aspen or poplar tree. Females lay five or six eggs, which hatch in 12 to 13 days. Young leave the nest 25 to 29 days later. Sapsuckers are unusual woodpeckers in that they migrate south for the winter. While these sapsuckers are not currently threatened, overharvesting in forests has decreased nesting areas and the amount of food available to these birds. 

status

COSEWIC: Not Reported 
CDC: Yellow 

more information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.   

photo credit

Canva

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