A Springtime Surprise in the Garden
Now that we’ve had some nice spring weather, I’ve spent more time in my garden. I even spent a lazy afternoon reading in my hammock. During this quiet time, I became conscious of a rhythmic tapping. It persisted, and after a while, I pulled myself out of the hammock to get my binoculars and investigate further. My movement disturbed the sound, but it resumed soon enough. I trained my binoculars on the bare trees lining my property. Sure enough, about two-thirds of the way up the tree (I’m not sure of the tree’s identity), I spied a woodpecker working diligently.
Yellow-bellied sapsucker excavating sap holes.
Sue Watts, ©2025 SC Botanical Garden, Clemson University
Back view of yellow-bellied sapsucker.
Sue Watts, ©2025 SC Botanical Garden, Clemson University
Meet the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
After watching for a while, it became clear that the bird was carefully sculpting a series of slightly squarish holes in a straight line on the bark. I am being visited by a yellow-bellied sapsucker!
Close-up of old sapsucker holes on a short leaf pine.
Sue Watts, ©2025 SC Botanical Garden, Clemson University
I see evidence of this bird’s presence everywhere in the South Carolina Botanical Garden, but this is the first time I’ve been able to watch the process while it was happening!
Feeding Habits and Tree Behavior
I noticed the bird is very methodical. Tapping was followed by the bird moving several times back and forth along the wells, sipping at each one. The more I watched, the more I realized there was more than one line of holes; there were several lines on the main trunk and the smaller branches, too. I didn’t get a picture, but I’m almost certain a squirrel licked at the sap holes as it passed across them.
Do Sapsuckers Harm Trees?
Sapsucker holes typically do not significantly damage trees since the holes heal quickly. However, as with any break in the tree surface, they might let in pathogens or wood-damaging organisms. I am happy to report that even the trees with the most activity in the Garden do not seem to be suffering.
Seasonal Visitors: Migration and Range
By May, these sapsuckers will be in Canada’s boreal forests to breed. In the fall, they will return to the south, to South Carolina, or as far south as Costa Rica to spend another winter vacation.
Learn More About Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers
For more information, see CornellLab All About Birds: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
