Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Description:

An adult, male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Habitat:

In our front and back yard which butts up to a freshwater lake on one side and a marsh or swampy area in the far back. We're also within five miles of native prairie grasses, farm fields and mixed woods

Notes:

These Sapsuckers started coming to our yard heavily when I first started putting out orange halves. Once I added bowls of grape jelly (for the Baltimore Orioles) they started eating that as well as bringing beak-fulls of bugs that they'd dip into the grape jelly to bring back to their young.

Species ID Suggestions

8 Comments

JanelleL.Streed 11 years ago

Tom15-Yes. When they first arrive they're hungry or ravenous I should say. Once the babies hatch there's even more mouths to feed. I have caught a couple Chipmunks, House Sparrows and Catbirds on the jelly as well so its not just the Sapsuckers dining at our table. I have a short video on YouTube showing the large number of Baltimore Orioles at and around the jelly bowl but it wasn't shot on the day these images were taken so I didn't include the link here. I'm guessing we had over two dozen Orioles on the jelly the day I shot the video. Every year more and more arrive, not unlike the Turkey and Deer in our back lot. So many mouths to feed, I feel like Old Mother Hubbard some days. "-)

JanelleL.Streed 11 years ago

Thank you so much, Ajwerko! Went back in time to pull out my favorite Yellow-headed Woodpecker images earlier today and couldn't resist posting up a few others. Egads, I could set up tent and spend weeks here on Project Noah if I wasn't careful. "-)

Tom15 11 years ago

WOW, a quart of jelly a day!

Ajwerko 11 years ago

Great photos!!

JanelleL.Streed 11 years ago

Thanks, Tom15! Yes. Between the Sapsuckers and Baltimore Orioles we go through about a quart of grape jelly a day for three or four months. And what they don't finish the raccoon love to lick clean. Nothing goes to waste in our yard. :-)