Tips for Attracting Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is one of just three woodpecker species in Ontario who migrate south for the winter - and as I type this, they are on their way back for nesting season! Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are unique woodpeckers that, while not incredibly shy, can seem quite elusive due to their tendency to avoid bird feeders. In preparation for their arrival, let's go over a few tips that can help increase your chances of attracting these beautiful woodpeckers to your yard this season.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker feeding on orange

Plant native

As their names suggests, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers rely on sap as a main source of food. In the spring, sapsuckers drill sap wells in native trees such as yellow birch, sugar maple, red maple, and hickory. They drill two types of neatly organized holes. The first set is deep into the inner part of the trunk (xylem), to feed on the sap that moves up to the branches in early spring. The second set of holes are shallow and drilled into the part of the tree that carries sap down from the leaves (phloem). The secondary set of wells need to be maintained so the sap will continue to flow. Sap wells are drilled year-round, in both their breeding and wintering grounds. 

In addition to drinking sap, sapsuckers also feed on a variety of insects that live and feed on native plant species. Fruit is another key component to a sapsucker's diet. When choosing plants for your yard consider those that are fruit bearing to attract a variety of insects and birds to your yard. Some species to consider include: Staghorn Sumac, Eastern Red Cedar, Mountain Ash, Red Osier Dogwood, Canadian Serviceberry, Chokecherry, Nannyberry, Winterberry, Elderberry. Click here to learn more about native plants that would work in your yard. 

Fun fact! Other animals enjoy the sap as well, including Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, who use the sap as a "first food" during spring migration. It's been noted that Ruby-throated Hummingbird northward migration coincides directly with when sap is ready to flow, and that they will deliberately nest near sap wells for a reliable and consistent source of food for their hungry families!

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker feeding on suet

Offer their favourite foods

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers aren't common feeder visitors, preferring to forage for natural foods mentioned above. But they will visit feeders for a few different foods, particularly during migration periods. Foods to offer in your yard to attract Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers include:

• Suet: Suet is a great calorie-rich food that woodpeckers of all species enjoy. Sapsuckers will sometimes visit feeders stocked with high quality suet such as SuperSuet, Nuts & Berries, or Naturally Nuts.
• Bark Butter: Similar to suet, Bark Butter is a high-energy food that provides birds with the calories and nutrients they require to thrive. Bark Butter is easily spreadable making it perfect for offering on trees, making it more enticing for sapsuckers to visit. 
• Oranges & Bird Berry Jelly: Sapsuckers definitely have a sweet tooth! It is not uncommon to see them visiting oriole feeders in the summer for a taste of oranges, Bird Berry Jelly, or even a sip of hummingbird nectar.
  
  

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers foraging on a dead tree

Let snags stand

Dead trees, also known as snags, are used by woodpeckers for nesting, roosting, and storing food. While woodpeckers do have incredibly strong bills meant for chipping into wood, they prefer to do so in soft wood from dead or dying trees. This is not only because snags are easier to carve into, but because there are often large quantities of insects to be found within them. Leaving dead trees where they stand when it's safe to do so, is one of the easiest ways to help support a healthy habitat for woodpeckers and countless other bird & wildlife species. 

Want to learn more about Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and other woodpecker species? Check out some our past blogs:

• Attracting Woodpeckers in Winter
  
• 5 Fun Facts About Woodpeckers
• 5 Berry Bushes for the Birds
  

Happy trails!

- Shayna