Last evening, at the end of a warm, sunny day in central Missouri, a female yellow-bellied sapsucker visited our backyard. Attracted by what appeared to be a natural sap well in a black maple tree, she repeatedly returned to the site to partake of the sugary fluid and her sorties caught the attention of a small group of chickadees that also indulged in nature's handout.
Unlike most woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers are migratory. After breeding across southern Canada, New England and the Great Lakes region, they winter in the Southeastern States as well as Mexico and Central America. While some winter in southern Missouri, these birds are primarily migrants in our area, usually observed in March and early April each spring.
Though they usually drill rows of holes to obtain sap, they also take advantage of natural wells where the bark has been damaged. Sapsuckers also consume berries and a wide variety of insects (many of which are drawn to their sap wells). Having found a reliable food source, our visitor will likely stick around for a few days before continuing north.
Unlike most woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers are migratory. After breeding across southern Canada, New England and the Great Lakes region, they winter in the Southeastern States as well as Mexico and Central America. While some winter in southern Missouri, these birds are primarily migrants in our area, usually observed in March and early April each spring.
Though they usually drill rows of holes to obtain sap, they also take advantage of natural wells where the bark has been damaged. Sapsuckers also consume berries and a wide variety of insects (many of which are drawn to their sap wells). Having found a reliable food source, our visitor will likely stick around for a few days before continuing north.
