Williamson's Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus thyroideus
A boldly patterned woodpecker of mountain forests with mix of conifers and aspen. Male is striking: mostly black with bold white wing patch, two white stripes on face, red throat, and yellow belly. White rump is conspicuous, especially in flight. Female has a brown head and intricate black-and-white barring on the body and wings; the yellow belly can be hard to see. Typically occurs singly or in pairs, often foraging inconspicuously. Moves to lower elevations in migration and winter, occurring in a variety of wooded habitats, often with oaks and conifers. Staccato drumming like other sapsuckers, starting out fast and slowing down with uneven tempo. Also listen for various other rasping calls.
Identification
Adult males are iridescent black on their head, back, sides and tail. They have a white stripe behind the eye and a lower white stripe across each side of the head, a red chin and a bright yellow belly. They have black wings with large white patches. The female is completely different in appearance: mainly black, with a pale yellow breast, a brownish head with black streaking and fine barring on the back, breast and sides. Originally, the female was considered to be a different species and named the black-breasted woodpecker by Cassin.<p>Measurements:<p>They excavate a new nesting cavity each year, sometimes reusing the same tree.<p>These birds feed on sap, mainly from conifers, but insects are their main food source during the nesting season and they also eat berries outside of the breeding period.<p>These birds drum to establish territories.<p>This species may be declining in some parts of its range due to habitat loss.<p>This woodpecker is associated with mature larch forests in south-central British Columbia; less than 500 individuals breed in Canada. The habitat for this species is rapidly disappearing due to forest harvesting. The species was designated endangered in 2005.<p>The species took its common name from Lieutenant Robert Stockton Williamson, who was the leader of a surveying expedition which collected the first male. They were trying to identify the best route west for a railway to the Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Sphyrapicus thyroideus
- Authority
- (Cassin, 1852)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Sphyrapicus
Range and habitat
Breeding habitat is open forested areas with conifers, mainly ponderosa pine, douglas-fir, and grand fir. Subalpine fir and western larch may also be important components of good habitat for these birds. Partially migratory, they breed in western North America from northern Mexico as far north as British Columbia. They are permanent residents in some parts of their range; migrating birds form small flocks and may travel as far south as central Mexico.
- Breeding range
- NA, MA : s British Colombia through w, wc USA to n Baja California (Mexico)
- Non-breeding range
- Mexico
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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