Sipping Sap

23
Written by cabanisi

Many kinds of woodpeckers will sometimes feed on tree sap. But the four North American species called sapsuckers are possibly more dependent on it than others.

To get at tree sap, sapsuckers drill rows of shallow pits across trunks and even smaller branches. In forests and towns across the continent there are usually trees around with rows of blackish dots on their trunks, the scarred-over remains of sweet feasts.

This Red-breasted Sapsucker has taken a fancy to a few trees down the road. It’s drilled a fresh row of pits in one of them and then simply clings to the trunk, waiting for the sap to flow. It laps up the sap with its tongue from each hole in turn:

After taking a sip of sap, it tilts its head back to quaff it down with its beak open:

Many other birds come to sapsucker wells, both for the sap and the insects they attract. This Anna’s Hummingbird hovers hopefully as a sapsucker drills fresh holes:

Red-breasted Sapsuckers are confined to the Pacific coastal region of North America. They tend to be shy and unobtrusive, despite their stunning colors:

But sometimes they are confiding:

Thanks for visiting, and may you be happy and peaceful.

23 Comments

    1. You’re welcome, thanks for commenting. This was suggested to me by another birder who watched this with me. He pointed out that there were no flowers in the area. It was in November.

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    1. Thanks Riley Mae! I really appreciate all of your kind comments. Speaking of fantastic shots, I loved your photo of the Cardinal in the snow, among others you’ve posted recently. Keep up the great work! 😊

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