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Home/Species/ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

(Linnaeus, 1766)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

G5Secure Found in 81 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102671
Element CodeABNYF05010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPiciformes
FamilyPicidae
GenusSphyrapicus
Other Common Names
Chupasavia Maculado (ES) Pic maculé (FR) yellow-bellied sapsucker (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
S. nuchalis formerly was included in this species (Johnson and Zink 1983, Johnson and Johnson 1985). Constitutes a superspecies with S. nuchali and S. ruber (AOU 1998). See Cicero and Johnson (1995) for information on phylogenetic relationships among sapsuckers, based on mtDNA data.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-02
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent Comments
BREEDS: extreme eastern Alaska, southwestern Yukon, southwestern Mackenzie, northwestern and central Saskatchewan, central Manitoba, north-central Ontario, southern Quebec (including Anticosti Island), southern Labrador, and central Newfoundland south to northeastern British Columbia, central Alberta, central and southeastern Saskatchewan, eastern North Dakota, eastern South Dakota, Iowa, northeastern Missouri, central Illinois, northwestern Indiana, northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northwestern Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and New Hampshire; locally in Appalachian Mountains south to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina (AOU 1983). WINTERS: Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio Valley, and New Jersey (rarely farther north) south through Texas, southeastern U.S., Middle America (except northwestern Mexico north of Sinaloa and west of Coahuila), Bahamas, and Antilles (south to Dominica, but rare east of Hispaniola and Netherlands Antilles). Casual or accidental in south-coastal Alaska, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Bermuda, and Greenland.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

See Devillers (1970) and Dunn (1978) for detailed information on identification.

Habitat

Deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forest; in migration and winter also in a variety of forest and open woodland habitats, parks, orchards (AOU 1983). Nest hole is bored by both sexes; usually located 3-14 m above ground. Generally excavates a new hole each year. See Mitchell (1988) for specifications for the construction and placement of nest boxes.

Ecology

Primarily a solitary species, but loose groups may be seen during migration (Oberholser 1974).

Presence of sapsuckers influences the structure of local bird communities (e.g., through cavity excavation), and sapwells made by these birds enhance local insect abundance and diversity (Rissler et al. 1995, Wilson Bull. 107:746-752).

Reproduction

Clutch size usually is 5-6, sometimes 4-7. Incubation, by both sexes, lasts 12-13 days. Nestlings are altricial. Young birds leave the nest-hole 25-29 days after hatching (Terres 1980).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5B,N3N
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaS5BYes
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
LabradorS1B,SUMYes
New BrunswickS5BYes
AlbertaS5BYes
Nova ScotiaS5BYes
British ColumbiaS5BYes
QuebecS5BYes
Prince Edward IslandS5BYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
OntarioS5B,S3NYes
Island of NewfoundlandS2B,SUMYes
SaskatchewanS5BYes
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
South CarolinaS5NYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
South DakotaS3BYes
OhioS3Yes
MassachusettsS4B,S4NYes
ColoradoSNAYes
KansasS3NYes
GeorgiaSNRB,SNRMYes
MichiganS5Yes
West VirginiaS2B,S3NYes
VermontS5BYes
TexasS4NYes
MarylandS1BYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
LouisianaS5NYes
New HampshireS5BYes
FloridaSNRNYes
New YorkS5BYes
ArizonaS1NYes
MissouriSNRNYes
Navajo NationS2NYes
IowaS1B,S3NYes
MaineS5BYes
ArkansasS4NYes
MississippiS5NYes
District of ColumbiaS2NYes
New MexicoS4NYes
IllinoisS1Yes
VirginiaS1B,S4NYes
DelawareSNAYes
WisconsinS4BYes
North DakotaSNRBYes
NebraskaSNRNYes
New JerseyS4B,S4NYes
TennesseeS1B,S4NYes
North CarolinaS2B,S5NYes
AlabamaS5NYes
ConnecticutS5BYes
OklahomaS3NYes
IndianaS2BYes
PennsylvaniaS5B,S5N,S5MYes
Roadless Areas (81)
Arizona (5)
AreaForestAcres
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Arkansas (3)
AreaForestAcres
Hurricane CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest2,279
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Pedestal RocksOzark-St. Francis National Forest21,957
California (5)
AreaForestAcres
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
Coyote NorthInyo National Forest11,932
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
Colorado (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bristol HeadRio Grande NF46,087
HermosaSan Juan NF148,103
Florida (1)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Georgia (4)
AreaForestAcres
Boggs CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,073
Cedar MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,083
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
Minnesota (2)
AreaForestAcres
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
New Hampshire (9)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
North Carolina (8)
AreaForestAcres
Boteler PeakNantahala National Forest4,205
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Little Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest640
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
North Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands14,537
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ellicott Rock 2Sumter National Forest517
Tennessee (5)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Winters BayouNational Forests in Texas730
Vermont (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Virginia (12)
AreaForestAcres
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
West Virginia (11)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Wisconsin (1)
AreaForestAcres
09154 - St. Peters DomeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest4,002
References (43)
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