Male yellow-bellied sapsucker
This is the time to listen for yellow-bellied sapsuckers. (Yes, they are real birds, not made-up cartoon characters.) Right now they are drumming away, creating holes in trees to gather nutritious sap that also helps them capture insects.
This sapsucker is chiseling several sap wells in this tree and will move on to make more nearby. He's a good dad and soon will be treating his young to insects dipped in sap.
Yellow belly
Other animals and birds - such as warblers, hummingbirds, nuthatches, squirrels, bats - benefit from the yellow-bellied sapsucker's hard work as they will also help themselves to the nutritious sap.
I am linking yo World Bird Wednesday.
he does look like a cartoon, and the yellow belly head is so gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI never knew they collect sap, thanks for info.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have those here so sure was fun seeing them. Just put my hummer feeder out the other day. Nothing yet...but they will come!
ReplyDeleteWe don't get them here - yours are Yellow-Bellied, ours are Red-breasted.
ReplyDeleteYum! They look very happy getting some sweet sap.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting bird, very colorful.
ReplyDeleteDarla
Are you a bird lover too? These are so detailed.
ReplyDeletegreat shot! love these birds!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are fantastic. The Sapsuckers at my house refused to cooperate with me.
ReplyDeletesimply beautiful!
ReplyDeletebeautiful birds, and shot!
So well camouflaged!
ReplyDeleteGreat capture of a difficult subject!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen one before! Very pretty! Thanks for the info as well.
ReplyDeletegreat pics. I haven't seen one in years. We see lots of Downy woodpeckers in our neighbourhood but not these guys.
ReplyDeletelovely colours, haven't seen one around here yet
ReplyDeleteHe's so handsome!!
ReplyDeleteA fabulous capture EG!!! I see tham around here, but can't get a close up shot.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bird, but they sure can mess up a good tree with all their holes!
ReplyDeleteNice bird, great post!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw a redheaded woodpecker today on the golf course and it looked a little like this. I don't think we have these down here. Very cool photos!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of this greatlooking woodpecker!! :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful shot of the sapsucker. They are cool birds to see.
ReplyDeletei get lot's of woodpeckers, but not these. they look like they are fun little ones, i love the pretty splashes of red!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting insight never realised so many others benefited from the sapsucker's hard work. Nice capture.
ReplyDeleteI've long heard of these birds but I've never seen a photo. Thanks for these and for info on their behavior.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful woodpecker!
ReplyDeleteReminds a little bit about our (Dendrocopos major).
Thanks for sharing and good information.
Great photos.
ReplyDeletenice pair of sapsuckers. Nice captures. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photos!
ReplyDeletePtaki są piękne, kolorowe i mają wspaniałe zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteThese birds are beautiful, colorful, useful and have great pictures. Yours.
What a great shot! These birds look like they're pretty well camouflaged.
ReplyDeleteThe yellow belly is quite striking!
ReplyDeleteAwesome shots of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! What a gorgeous woodie he is! Our most common sapsucker in the West is the Red-breasted. Your handsome fellow would be a lifer for me!
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of different woodpeckers hanging out around here. I don't think we have the yellow-bellied but we do have the red bellied sapsucker. Birds, birds, birds.
ReplyDeleteLove him -- I don't believe we have them around here. Darnit.
ReplyDeleteThat is a neat looking bird and had no idea that they collect sap.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing as tasty as a freshly caught insect dipped in sap.... at least I would think so if I was a baby yellow-bellied sapsucker.
ReplyDeleteHi there - we have no woodpeckers of any kind in Australia - so I like to see ones 'on line'.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures.
Stewart M - Australia
I only see them in winter so it is nice to see where they go to nest.
ReplyDeleteGreat captures!
Great pictures you show.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a good day.
Hanne Bente / hbt.finus.dk
This is new to me! If I hadn't read your post I'd have thought it was a woodie. Beautiful bird!
ReplyDeleteWhat's in a name? In the case of the YBSS it's a double edged sword I suppose. Sure brings a lot of attention to an otherwise conservative little bird!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful capture
ReplyDeletethanks
I am very fond of this bird - used to have them in my pecan tree! And, just saying the name is fun! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteAmazing how they have adapted to 'tree farming'. A very striking bird.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for being a good dad. I think I'll serve up some sticky sap-covered insects to my youngens tonight. ;-)
ReplyDeleteNice close-up. I loved the cartoon reference.
Beautiful bird and photos!
ReplyDeleteDon't see them around here.
Thanks for sharing.
Mette
never saw one before...thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteWow, he's a pretty bird. I envy you photographers that can catch birds!
ReplyDeleteYou got some great shots at one of my favorite birds. Are they not just wonderful...I love the way they peck those tiny holes in a neat little line and then visit them daily to sip the sweet sap from the tree...beautiful!
ReplyDelete