Woodpeckers

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

A striking woodpecker with a brilliant red head and breast and a bold black-and-white body. Creates neat rows of small holes (sap wells) in tree bark. A regular summer resident in Kodiak's alders and willows.

Where to look

Alder thickets along roadsides, Buskin River corridor, and mixed forests around Kodiak Island.

Habitat

Mixed and coniferous forests, especially near alders and willows.

Diet

Tree sap, insects, and berries.

Natural history note

Red-breasted Sapsuckers create sap wells that are also visited by hummingbirds, bats, and dozens of other animals.