Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
| Class: Aves: Birds |
Diet: Sap |
| Order:
Piciformes |
| Size: 20.5
cm (8 in) |
| Family: Picidae:
Woodpeckers |
Conservation Status:
Non-threatened |
| Scientific Name:
Sphyrapicus varius |
Habitat: forest,
woodland |
| Range:
Central Canada, Eastern USA; winters in Central America, West Indies |
 The
sapsucker migrates northward in the spring from its wintering grounds in
Central America and the West Indies. On reaching its breeding range, it
drills rows of holes in the bark of trees and returns from time to time
to drink the oozing sap and to eat the insects that are attracted to it.
The bird also collects many other insects in and around the trees, using
its brushlike tongue. A breeding pair bores a nest hole, usually
in a dead tree, with the male doing most of the work. The female lays 5
to 7 eggs, which both birds incubate for about 12 days.
  
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