British Columbia is home to a diverse array of bird species, from songbirds to seabirds to birds of prey. Among these is one particularly distinctive bird that stands out for its bold black and white striped head pattern. This bird is none other than the Red-breasted Sapsucker.
The Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) is a medium-sized woodpecker found throughout western North America, including British Columbia. As their name suggests, Red-breasted Sapsuckers have a bright red throat and breast, but it is the striking head pattern that makes them so recognizable. Adult sapsuckers have a black and white striped crown and face, with a red forehead and black eyeline. This striking coloration makes them unmistakable among BC’s woodpeckers.
Description
The Red-breasted Sapsucker is a mid-sized woodpecker, measuring around 8.5 inches in length with a wingspan of 13 to 15 inches. As noted above, the adult plumage features a bright red head, throat and breast, with bold black and white striping on the crown, nape and face. The back and wings are largely black with white barring. The underparts are white with black streaks and spots. Adult male and female sapsuckers have similar plumage, though females may have a white chin rather than red.
Juvenile sapsuckers have a more muted appearance than adults. Their heads show a mix of red, black and white rather than the crisp pattern of adults. The throat and breast are yellowish and mottled. Over the course of their first year they will molt into adult plumage. By the second year the distinctive head pattern is fully developed.
In addition to plumage, sapsuckers can be identified by their relatively large bill and short tail. The bill is black and dagger-like, specialized for drilling into trees. Their short tail helps brace them against tree trunks while feeding. In flight, look for the large white wing patches on the back that form a white square patch.
Habitat and Range
Red-breasted sapsuckers are found across western North America from Alaska south to California and New Mexico. In Canada they occur from Yukon southeast throughout British Columbia and western Alberta.
These woodpeckers inhabit coniferous forests, especially those dominated by pine, spruce, fir and larch trees. They are often found in montane forests but may occur at lower elevations as well. In winter some individuals will move downslope towards the coast or into riparian woodlands. Throughout their range sapsuckers require older forests with plenty of large, live trees for nesting and feeding.
In British Columbia, red-breasted sapsuckers occur throughout most of the province except for Haida Gwaii and the northeast. They are present in the coastal forests of Vancouver Island and the mainland southwestern coast. Their range extends north through the interior and subalpine forests.
Food and Feeding
True to their name, sapsuckers feed primarily on tree sap as well as the insects attracted to it. Unlike other woodpeckers, they feed mainly on sap from a few select tree species, especially western larch, lodgepole pine, willow and birch.
Sapsuckers use their specialized bills to skillfully drill orderly rows of small wells into the trunks and branches of these trees. The sap that oozes out attracts insects which become trapped in the sticky wells. Sapsuckers then return to glean both the sap and insects. A single tree may be riddled with hundreds of shallow holes from their feeding.
In addition to sap, these birds will eat a variety of insects including ants, beetles, moths, butterflies, spiders and others. They occasionally take fruits and berries as well. Sapsuckers forage by moving up tree trunks, methodically poking their bills into crevices and holes. They also sally out from perches to snatch insects from leaves and bark.
Breeding
Red-breasted sapsuckers breed in mature coniferous or mixed forests. Nesting activity begins in spring once mountain snowpack has melted. After courtship displays, the male will begin selecting and excavating a nest cavity in a live tree, usually coniferous. The nest hole is normally less than 30 feet high and excavated into the heartwood of dying or diseased trees.
Both sexes help furnish the inside of the nest cavity with wood chips. 5-7 white eggs are laid. The female incubates the eggs for about 2 weeks while the male provides food. After hatching, both parents feed the nestlings for a period around 26 days until they are ready to fledge. Young stay with and are fed by the parents for some time after leaving the nest.
Red-breasted sapsuckers are generally non-migratory. Breeding pairs will maintain discrete territories year-round. Juveniles appear prone to dispersing further distances which helps maintain genetic exchange between populations.
Status and Threats
According to the IUCN Red List, the red-breasted sapsucker is classified as a species of Least Concern. They have a large range over much of western North America and a global population estimated at 3.7 million individual birds. Their populations currently appear stable and are even increasing in some regions.
These woodpeckers face threats from habitat loss and degradation as mature conifer forests are logged. Forest fragmentation may also reduce connectivity between populations. Climate change poses a potential future risk depending on how warming temperatures and changing precipitation affects forest composition. However, as an adaptable species able to occupy diverse forests, sapsuckers are resilient to some habitat changes.
Overall, red-breasted sapsuckers remain common across their range. British Columbia lists them as a Species of Least Concern. Protected areas like parks and ecological reserves within the province help conserve sapsucker populations and habitat. Careful forest management focused on maintaining older trees will also benefit this unique woodpecker into the future.
Interesting Facts
Here are some interesting facts about the red-breasted sapsucker:
– Sapsuckers are the only North American woodpecker specialized in feeding on sap. Their unique feeding habitat helps reduce competition with other woodpeckers.
– Groups of sapsuckers will maintain and defend “sap wells” by chasing away other sap-feeding birds. Certain wells may be maintained and reused for many years.
– Sapsuckers are important “ecosystem engineers” because their sap wells provide an abundant food source for many other species like hummingbirds, squirrels, porcupines and insects.
– Sometimes sapsuckers will cover their completed wells with natural putty, likely to protect the sap.
– Sapsucker nest cavities are later used by many other secondary cavity nesters like owls, ducks, swallows and even mammals like bats and martens.
– The sapsucker’s genus name Sphyrapicus comes from the Greek words sphura meaning hammer and pikos meaning woodpecker.
– Red-breasted sapsuckers engage in interesting drumming displays, using their bills to rapidly hammer on dry resonant branches or other objects. The drumming serves for territorial signaling and courtship.
Conclusion
The red-breasted sapsucker’s distinctive black and white striped head makes it one of the most recognizable woodpeckers in British Columbia forests. This fascinating bird has evolved specialized adaptations for drilling into trees and feeding on sap. While sapsuckers thrive on conifer sap, they play an important ecological role by providing food for many other species. Although they face some threats from habitat loss, these adaptable woodpeckers remain common across their range. The red-breasted sapsucker’s unique appearance and behaviors will continue to delight birdwatchers exploring BC’s forests.