Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius (Linnaeus, 1766)

19–21 cmLength50 gWeight

The yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a medium-sized woodpecker that breeds in Canada and the northeastern United States.

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

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

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

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has been recorded at 923 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 23 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Central ParkUnited States9,924 records
  2. Prospect ParkUnited States6,978 records
  3. Audubon Corkscrew Swamp SanctuaryUnited States6,476 records
More places
  1. Green-Wood Cemetery, BrooklynUnited States4,649 records
  2. Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Lincoln Park, ChicagoUnited States4,639 records
  3. Sapsucker WoodsUnited States3,922 records
  4. RF Marguerite-D'YouvilleCanada3,409 records
  5. Caw Caw Interpretive CenterUnited States3,277 records
  6. Central Park – The RambleUnited States3,177 records
  7. Sabine WoodsUnited States2,582 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaMexicoCubaBahamasCosta RicaBelizeGuatemala

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 yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a medium-sized woodpecker that breeds in Canada and the northeastern United States.

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

Questions

How big is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker?

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is about 19–21 cm long and weighs around 50 g.

Where does the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker live?

Its breeding range: North America: eastern Alaska and northwestern Canada to southeastern Canada and northeastern USA. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker?

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

Is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker endangered?

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

What does the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in?

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

At a glance

Length
19–21 cm
Weight
50 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
125 mm
Tail
74 mm
Bill
25 mm
Tarsus
20 mm

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

Range

North America: eastern Alaska and northwestern Canada to southeastern Canada and northeastern 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 thyroideusRed-naped SapsuckerRed-naped SapsuckerSphyrapicus nuchalisRed-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
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

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

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