By Mary Reid Barrow
Photo by Reese Lukei
Reese, who is well-known for his work with ospreys and other raptors, has his share of interesting yard birds too. The sapsucker with its smoky dark red throat and cap flies south for the winter from its summer breeding grounds in the far north and Canada, he said.
It is named for the ring of sap holes it drills around a tree trunk. Not only does the sapsucker “suck” the sap and eat the ants the sap attracts, but other birds also take part in the winter feast too, he explained.
According to “All About Birds,” even hummingbirds will feed on the sap in spring.
On the other hand, the “yellow-bellied” part of the sapsucker’s name is less obvious than its tell-tale sap rings. The soft yellow cast of its breast is definitely overshadowed by its black and white bars and deep red throat and cap.
The sapsucker is a type of woodpecker that’s both like and unlike any woodpecker we see here on a year-round basis. For example, don’t expect loud woodpecker-type noise if a sapsucker visits you this winter and it goes to work on drilling sap rings round your trees.
“Their ‘tap’ is light, unlike the loud thud of the pileated woodpecker,” Reese said. “And its vocal call is a squeak.”
On the other hand, sometimes sapsuckers take a liking, for some reason, to a nearby street sign, say, and it will tap away on the metal and produce a whole other sound, according to “All About Birds.”
Whatever it does, you will know right away you have an unusual woodpecker if you are lucky enough to get a visit this winter.