Red-naped Sapsucker
Encyclopedia
The Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) is a medium-sized woodpecker
.
and Great Basin
areas of North America
. They nest in a cavity in a dead tree. Other species which nest in tree cavities reuse nests formerly used by these birds.
These birds migrate
south and vacate areas at higher elevations.
True to their name, and like other sapsucker
s, they drill holes in trees and eat the sap as well as insects attracted to it. They sometimes catch insects in flight; they also eat seeds and berries.
This bird used to be considered a subspecies of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
.
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
.
Habitat
Their breeding habitat is mixed forests in the Rocky MountainsRocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
and Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
areas of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. They nest in a cavity in a dead tree. Other species which nest in tree cavities reuse nests formerly used by these birds.
Description
This species measures 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) long and weighs 32–66 g (1.1–2.3 oz). Adults have a black head with a red forehead, white stripes, and a red spot on the nape; they have a white lower belly and rump. They have a yellow breast and upper belly. They are black on the back and wings with white bars; they have a large white wing patch. Adult males have a red throat patch; for females, the lower part of the throat is red, the upper part white.These birds migrate
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
south and vacate areas at higher elevations.
True to their name, and like other sapsucker
Sapsucker
The Sapsuckers form the genus Sphyrapicus within the woodpecker family Picidae. All are found in North America.As their name implies, sapsuckers feed primarily on the sap of trees, moving among different tree and shrub species on a seasonal basis...
s, they drill holes in trees and eat the sap as well as insects attracted to it. They sometimes catch insects in flight; they also eat seeds and berries.
This bird used to be considered a subspecies of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker found in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.-Taxonomy:...
.
External links
- Red-naped Sapsucker USGS
- Red-naped Sapsucker Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-naped Sapsucker South Dakota Birds
- Red-naped Sapsucker eNature.com
- Red-naped Sapsucker photo gallery VIREO
- Red-naped Sapsucker www.fws.gov
- Red-naped Sapsucker Talk about Wildlife
- Project Sapsucker Royal Alberta Museum