Maple Syrup Season and Its Impact on Ontario’s Birds

As February turns to March, Ontario’s maple syrup season begins—a time-honored tradition that brings people into sugar bushes to harvest nature’s liquid gold. While humans enjoy the sweet rewards of maple sap, many bird species also benefit from the seasonal changes in sugar maple forests. From early-migrating songbirds to hardy winter residents, maple syrup season plays a surprising role in supporting birdlife.

In this blog, we’ll explore how Ontario’s birds interact with sugar maple forests and how sustainable syrup production can help protect these vital habitats.

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1. How Maple Syrup Season Supports Bird Life

During late winter and early spring, sugar maple trees begin producing sap, which can leak from natural openings or taps made by syrup harvesters. This seasonal change benefits birds in a few key ways:

• Early Food Sources: Some birds, particularly woodpeckers, feed on the sugary sap and the insects it attracts.
• Shelter in Mature Forests: Well-managed sugar bushes preserve old-growth trees that provide nesting cavities.
• Insect Blooms: As temperatures rise, insects begin emerging, giving early migratory birds a crucial food supply.

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2. Bird Species That Benefit from Maple Syrup Season

1. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 

• A key species that directly interacts with maple trees during sap flow.
• They drill rows of small holes in tree bark to feed on the sap, which also attracts other birds.
• Returns early from migration (March-April) and can be spotted in sugar bushes.

Yellow bellied sapsucker with drilled well. Photo by Kristen Martyn. 

2. Black-capped Chickadees

• A year-round resident of Ontario’s forests, chickadees benefit from the insects drawn to sap leaks.
• Uses maple trees for shelter, especially in well-maintained sugar bushes.

3. Downy Woodpeckers & Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)

• These common woodpeckers forage in sugar maple forests, feeding on sap and insects near tree wounds.
• Nest in tree cavities, often in mature maple stands.

4. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

• Arrives in Ontario around late April to May and feeds on residual sap from sapsucker holes.
• Sugar maples provide an important nectar alternative when flowers are scarce.

5. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

• One of the earliest spring migrants, often seen foraging in sugar bushes.
• Benefits from thawing ground and increased insect activity as sap season progresses.

6. Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

• An early-arriving flycatcher that benefits from the insect boom in maple forests.
• Often nests on structures around maple farms.

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3. How Sustainable Sugar Bush Management Helps Birds

By managing maple syrup production carefully, we can ensure that these forests continue to support Ontario’s birds:

✅ Leave some untapped trees – Birds rely on natural sap flows from aging trees, so maintaining diversity in tree age is beneficial.

✅ Minimize habitat disturbance – Limiting trail expansion and heavy machinery use can help protect nesting areas.

✅ Encourage native plant growth – Allowing a mix of native understory plants provides additional food and shelter.

✅ Educate visitors – Bird-friendly sugar farms can highlight the importance of conserving these ecosystems.

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Ultimately, Maple syrup season isn’t just a time for harvesting sweet treats—it’s also a critical period for Ontario’s birds. From early migrants to year-round residents, many species benefit from the sap flow and the preserved forests of sugar bushes.

Next time you visit a maple farm, keep an eye (and ear) out for woodpeckers, chickadees, and robins. These birds remind us that a well-managed sugar bush isn’t just good for syrup—it’s a thriving habitat for Ontario’s wildlife.

Enjoy syrup season!! 

Warmly, 

Heather