Home Application Download FAQ
English
English
繁體中文
日本語
Español
Français
Deutsch
Pусский
Português
Italiano
한국어
Nederlands
العربية

Red-naped Sapsucker

A species of Sapsuckers
Scientific name : Sphyrapicus nuchalis Genus : Sapsuckers

Red-naped Sapsucker, A species of Sapsuckers
Botanical name: Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Genus: Sapsuckers
Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) Photo By panza-rayada , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Description

The red-naped sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker, measuring 19–21 cm (7.5–8.3 in) long and weighing 32–66 g (1.1–2.3 oz). Adults have a black head with a red forehead, white stripes, and a red spot on the nape; they have a white lower belly and rump. They have a yellow breast and upper belly. They are black on the back and wings with white bars; they have a large white wing patch. Adult males have a red throat patch; for females, the lower part of the throat is red, the upper part white.
Size
20-23 cm (8-9 in)
Colors
Black
Red
Gray
White
Life Expectancy
4.83 years
Nest Placement
Cavity
Clutch Size
3 - 7 eggs
Number of Broods
8 - 12 days
Nestling Period
23 - 32 days
Feeding Habits
Red-naped Sapsucker drills holes in trees like willow and birch to lap up sap with a specialized tongue and preys on insects, such as ants and beetles, either by picking them off foliage, catching in flight, or trapped in sap. They also consume fruit and seeds.
Habitat
Red-naped Sapsucker's preferred habitat encompasses the mixed woodlands of the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin in North America, notably between 1,000 and 10,000 feet elevation. These birds favor forests with willow, aspen, birch, and coniferous trees. They adapt well to both natural and human-impacted areas with adequate standing dead trees for nesting. Their migration and winter habitats include oak or pine-oak forests and riparian zones.
Nest Behavior
Red-naped Sapsucker males mainly excavate the nests, a process requiring 6 days to 4 weeks, with occasional female help. They may reuse or create new holes annually, do not line nests with materials, and exhibit no specified egg-laying pattern. Both parents partake in chick-rearing.
Nest Characteristics
Red-naped Sapsucker nests in cavities excavated within live or dead trees, often aspens or pines, at heights of 2-75 feet. Chosen trees are typically larger than 11 inches in diameter with heartwood fungus. Nest entrances are approximately 1.5 inches wide and tall, with a 4.5-inch wide interior padded with wood chips.
Dite type
Insectivorous

General Info

Feeding Habits

Bird food type
Bird Feeder Type
Suet Cage

Sounds

Call
Recording location: United States

Behavior

Red-naped Sapsucker exhibits typical woodpecker behaviors such as hitching along tree trunks and flying in an undulating pattern. Distinctively, red-naped Sapsucker drills unique sap wells to feed on tree sap, a key part of their diet, using specialized tongue hairs. Both sexes vigorously defend their feeding territories with displays of head thrusting, wing flicking, and vocal chases. During mating season, courtship involves loud calling, bill-raising, and feather displays. Pairs are monogamous for the breeding season, occasionally with the same partner over multiple seasons, possibly due to site fidelity rather than pair bonds.

Species Status

Not globally threatened.
Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) Photo By panza-rayada , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Download Picture Bird
Identify any bird by photo or sound in seconds
Cookie Management Tool
In addition to managing cookies through your browser or device, you can change your cookie settings below.
Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
Analytical Cookies
Analytical cookies help us to improve our application/website by collecting and reporting information on its usage.
Cookie Name Source Purpose Lifespan
_ga Google Analytics These cookies are set because of our use of Google Analytics. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The cookies collect specific information, such as your IP address, data related to your device and other information about your use of the application/website. Please note that the data processing is essentially carried out by Google LLC and Google may use your data collected by the cookies for own purposes, e.g. profiling and will combine it with other data such as your Google Account. For more information about how Google processes your data and Google’s approach to privacy as well as implemented safeguards for your data, please see here. 1 Year
_pta PictureThis Analytics We use these cookies to collect information about how you use our site, monitor site performance, and improve our site performance, our services, and your experience. 1 Year
Cookie Name
_ga
Source
Google Analytics
Purpose
These cookies are set because of our use of Google Analytics. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The cookies collect specific information, such as your IP address, data related to your device and other information about your use of the application/website. Please note that the data processing is essentially carried out by Google LLC and Google may use your data collected by the cookies for own purposes, e.g. profiling and will combine it with other data such as your Google Account. For more information about how Google processes your data and Google’s approach to privacy as well as implemented safeguards for your data, please see here.
Lifespan
1 Year

Cookie Name
_pta
Source
PictureThis Analytics
Purpose
We use these cookies to collect information about how you use our site, monitor site performance, and improve our site performance, our services, and your experience.
Lifespan
1 Year
Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies are used by advertising companies to serve ads that are relevant to your interests.
Cookie Name Source Purpose Lifespan
_fbp Facebook Pixel A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Learn more here. 1 Year
_adj Adjust This cookie provides mobile analytics and attribution services that enable us to measure and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, certain events and actions within the Application. Learn more here. 1 Year
Cookie Name
_fbp
Source
Facebook Pixel
Purpose
A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Learn more here.
Lifespan
1 Year

Cookie Name
_adj
Source
Adjust
Purpose
This cookie provides mobile analytics and attribution services that enable us to measure and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, certain events and actions within the Application. Learn more here.
Lifespan
1 Year
Download