Woodpeckers

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

A striking woodpecker with an entirely red head and breast, a white wing patch, and a pale yellow belly. It drills neat rows of sap wells in tree bark and returns to feed on the oozing sap.

Current regional viewing notes

Coniferous and mixed forests around Hoonah; look for horizontal rows of sap wells on hemlock and spruce trees.

Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.

Habitat

Coniferous and mixed forests, especially where hemlocks and spruce are present.

Diet

Tree sap, insects attracted to sap wells, berries, and cambium.

Natural history note

Red-breasted Sapsuckers create "sap orchards" — orderly rows of small holes in tree bark that also attract hummingbirds and insects seeking the sweet sap.