Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis)
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Red-naped Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus nuchalis Baird, SF, 1858

19–21 cmLength48 gWeight

The red-naped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) is a medium-sized North American woodpecker.

Busiest months: October · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Red-naped Sapsucker has been recorded at 159 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States2,697 records
  2. Madera Canyon – Santa Rita LodgeUnited States2,437 records
  3. Paton Center for HummingbirdsUnited States1,989 records
More places
  1. Boyce Thompson ArboretumUnited States1,785 records
  2. Floyd Lamb Park at Tule SpringsUnited States1,133 records
  3. Santa Gertrudis LaneUnited States1,114 records
  4. Anza Trail – TubacUnited States1,010 records
  5. Desert NWR – Corn CreekUnited States949 records
  6. Cave Creek Canyon – South ForkUnited States925 records
  7. Tatlayoko Lake Bird ObservatoryCanada868 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaMexico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The red-naped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) is a medium-sized North American woodpecker. Long thought to be a subspecies of the yellow-bellied sapsucker, it is now known to be a distinct species.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Red-naped Sapsucker?

The Red-naped Sapsucker is about 19–21 cm long and weighs around 48 g.

Where does the Red-naped Sapsucker live?

Its breeding range: North America: southwestern Canada to southwestern USA. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Red-naped Sapsucker?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Red-naped Sapsucker endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Red-naped Sapsucker as Least Concern.

What does the Red-naped Sapsucker eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Red-naped Sapsucker in?

It belongs to the family Woodpeckers (Picidae), order Piciformes.

At a glance

Length
19–21 cm
Weight
48 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
123 mm
Tail
76 mm
Bill
22 mm
Tarsus
20 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: southwestern Canada to southwestern USA

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Woodpeckers Picidae
Genus
Sphyrapicus

Other birds in the genus Sphyrapicus

Williamson's SapsuckerWilliamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideusYellow-bellied SapsuckerYellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusRed-breasted SapsuckerRed-breasted SapsuckerSphyrapicus ruberEurasian WryneckEurasian WryneckJynx torquillaRed-throated WryneckRed-throated WryneckJynx ruficollisSpeckled PiculetSpeckled PiculetPicumnus innominatusBar-breasted PiculetBar-breasted PiculetPicumnus aurifronsLafresnaye's PiculetLafresnaye's PiculetPicumnus lafresnayiOrinoco PiculetOrinoco PiculetPicumnus pumilusGolden-spangled PiculetGolden-spangled PiculetPicumnus exilis
Red-naped Sapsucker

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Nature Ali. ↗

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