ID Keys: Male black with white wing patch and rump, yellow belly,
and thin white facial stripes.
Williamson's
Sapsuckers are generally found in the mountains of the western United
States, and are only extremely rare visitors to South Dakota. The male
and female of the species have strikingly different plumages, so much so
that they were once thought to be different species. As with other
sapsucker species, they drill "wells" in trees, feeding both on the sap that
seeps out, and the insects attracted to the sap.
Habitat
Found
in mountainous conifer forests during the summer breeding season. Winters
in lower-elevation pine and pine/oak forests.
Diet
Eats many insects and tree sap, and also feeds on fruits
and berries.
Behavior
Drills typical sapsucker wells, taking
both sap and trapped insects from the wells. Will also climb through
foliage and branches in search of insects, fruits, and berries, hop along
the ground in search of insects (especially ants), or occasionally fly out
from a perch to catch passing insects in mid-air.
Breeding
Non-breeder in South Dakota. The Williamson's Sapsucker nests in cavities excavated in large dead or decaying conifer trees, especially pines, firs, and larches in mature mountain forests. Both sexes help excavate the nest cavity, which is often placed high above the ground in a snag or dead section of a living tree. Typical clutches contain 4–6 eggs, and both parents share incubation duties and care for the nestlings.
Song
The Williamson's Sapsucker is generally quieter than many woodpeckers and gives sharp, nasal calls often described as churr or squealing notes similar to that of a Red-tailed
Hawk's. It also communicates through irregular bursts of drumming, which are typically slower and less rhythmic than those of many other woodpecker species.
Migration
Summers throughout the mountains of the
western United States. Most move southward along the Rockies for the
winter, going as far as west-central Mexico. Some are semi-permanent
residents, only moving to lower elevations in the winter.
Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker. The Williamson's Sapsucker is unlike the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Red-naped Sapsucker in that males are mostly black with a bright red throat, yellow belly, and large white wing patches, giving them a strikingly different appearance. Female Williamson's Sapsuckers are brown-headed and barred, lacking the bold black-and-white facial pattern typical of Yellow-bellied and Red-naped Sapsuckers. Both Yellow-bellied and Red-naped Sapsuckers show extensive black-and-white facial striping and a more typical sapsucker appearance, while Williamson's Sapsucker is often considered one of the most distinctive and unusual woodpeckers in North America.
Bird Feeders
Will attend feeders for suet, also
nectar and sugar water.
Conservation Status
The Williamson's Sapsucker is generally considered a species of low conservation concern, although populations are relatively small and localized compared to many other North American woodpeckers. The species depends on mature conifer forests with large snags for nesting, so intensive logging, removal of dead trees, and severe habitat alteration can negatively affect local populations. Conservation efforts focus on maintaining older forest stands and preserving standing dead trees used for nesting and foraging. The IUCN
considers the William's Sapsucker to be a species of "least concern".
Photo Information
June 18th, 2008 - Eastern Cascade
Mountains of Oregon - Terry Sohl
