Sapsucker ‘Red breasted’ Sphyrapicus ruber
Frequent visitor. Subspecies of yellow bellied sapsucker found here on the Pacific Coast.
Food: Sap, fruit, arthropods. it drills neat rows of holes in bark of trees, later visiting the pits to lick up sap with its brush-like tongue. Squirrels and hummingbirds often gather at the sap wells also.
The Rufous Hummingbird is closely associated with the Red-breasted Sapsucker. It nests near sap wells and may follow the woodpecker around during the day, feeding at the wells the sapsucker keeps flowing.
Nest in cavity in dead tree or dead branch. No nest material added to cavity.
ID: Males are beautiful with red heads, necks and breast. Females are generally brown with light throats.
Voice: Call a harsh mewing “waah.” Drumming a distinctive slow irregular tapping, easily imitated by tapping on a tree with a stick.
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