What is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker?
The yellow-bellied sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker species found in forests across North America. Adults have black and white plumage on their back and wings, with a yellow belly and throat. Males have a bright red forehead and throat. These birds are named for their habit of drilling holes into tree bark to feed on the sap that runs out, as well as the insects attracted to it. Sapsucker damage is familiar to many as the horizontal rows of small holes frequently seen on tree trunks.
Why are Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers a problem?
While sapsuckers are native birds playing an important ecological role, their feeding habits can cause significant damage and tree health decline in some cases. Excessive sap removal can stress trees and make them more vulnerable to diseases and insects. The woodpeckers also eat cambium, the nutrient transporting inner bark layer, which can effectively girdle and kill branches or entire trees if stripping is extensive. Ornamental trees near homes and in yards are most likely to suffer severe sapsucker damage.
Preventive actions
Here are some tips that may help stop or reduce sapsucker damage:
Wrap trees
Wrapping tree trunks with burlap, hardware cloth, or sheet metal creates a barrier that can prevent sapsuckers from drilling into the bark. This is one of the most effective solutions, but is labor intensive and unsightly. Tree wrap must be removed periodically to prevent girdling damage from material left in place too long.
Use repellents
Applying taste or odor repellents to tree bark can discourage sapsuckers. Common homemade options include mixtures of hot pepper powder and water or garlic oil and mineral oil. Commercial bird repellent sprays are also available. Repellents may need frequent reapplication, especially during peak sap flow in early spring.
Scare tactics
Sapsuckers can sometimes be scared off by hanging shiny metallic ribbons or pie pans near their drilling sites, or by placing owl decoys or rubber snakes in trees. Scare devices should be moved around periodically so birds don’t get used to them. Motion-activated sprinklers are another option for scaring birds away from a particular area.
Trim branches
Pruning away branches where sapsuckers are actively feeding may get them to move to another tree, though they may come back once pruning wounds start oozing sap. Targeted branch removal is most practical on smaller ornamental trees.
Thicken bark
On thin-barked trees that attract sapsuckers, wrapping young trunks with wire mesh can protect them until natural bark thickening occurs with age. The trunk wrap should be removed once the tree is a few inches in diameter to prevent girdling.
Deterring methods
Once sapsuckers start actively drilling into a tree, here are some deterrent methods to try:
Plug holes
Plugging sapsucker holes with corks, nails, or caulk after the birds have moved on can reduce sap flow and insect infestations attracted to the sap. This is very labor intensive for trees with lots of holes, but may be worthwhile for high value ornamental trees. New holes can still be drilled each season though.
Sticky barriers
Applying sticky tree banding products above and below active sap wells can prevent sapsuckers from returning to those spots. These tacky barriers are messy and must be maintained carefully to avoid girdling damage. They may not deter sapsuckers from making new holes elsewhere on the tree.
Use noisemakers
Wind chimes, aluminum pie pans, radios, or other noisemakers hung in actively used trees can sometimes discourage sapsucker drilling, especially when moved frequently and used in combination with other deterrents. The noise should be allowed intermittently rather than constantly to maximize effectiveness.
Apply insecticides
As a last resort, applying insecticides formulated for borers around fresh sap holes may kill some of the attracted insects that sapsuckers feed on. However, this will not deter the woodpeckers from continuing to drill for sap. Insecticide use requires caution and proper timing to avoid harmful environmental impacts.
When to call a professional
For valuable landscape and orchard trees suffering severe sapsucker damage, it may be worthwhile to contact a professional arborist trained in wildlife control methods. An arborist can assess tree health, properly prune away infested wood, and install specialized exclusion materials. They may also be permitted to trap or remove problem sapsuckers in some cases, which homeowners cannot legally do without permits. Removing nesting cavities may also help manage overly abundant local sapsucker populations.
Sapsucker damage identification
To determine if sapsuckers are responsible for holes and wounds on your trees, look for these identifying signs:
Sap wells
Sapsuckers drill orderly rows of 1/4-3/4 inch sap wells into tree bark. The holes are perfectly round and go deep into the cambium layer rather than being merely superficial pecks. Look for multiple neat horizontal or vertical rows of clustered holes.
Sap flow
Active sap wells will show a flow of sap weeping down the bark below entry holes. Older inactive holes may be dried out. Fermented sap can attract insects like bees, wasps, and butterflies.
Bark scrapes
In addition to sap wells, sapsuckers scrape off patches of bark to access cambium and insects beneath. Scrapes appear as ragged bare areas of exposed wood.
Size and shape
Sapsucker holes are smaller in diameter than the larger, more oblong holes of other woodpeckers. The holes will all be very uniform in size/shape rather than varying.
Location
Sapsuckers typically start feeding at the base of trunks or main branches, then work upward in vertical columns. Different birds will drill parallel columns, covering much of the trunk.
Protecting trees
To help protect landscape trees from sapsucker damage:
– Maintain tree health through proper watering, fertilization, mulching, and pruning. Stressed trees are more vulnerable.
– Wrap thin-barked young trees with hardware cloth or wire mesh until bark thickens.
– Make trees less appealing by letting grass grow tall around trunks or encircling with thorny rose bush branches.
– Limit excessive sap flow by avoiding wounding or over-pruning trees.
– Seal pruning cuts and other tree wounds that could attract sapsuckers.
– Monitor for sapsucker presence and control actively used trees with repellents, noisemakers, scare tactics, and exclusion devices.
– Cover damaged bark with grafting compound to reduce insect infestations.
When damage warrants control
Sapsuckers can cause significant damage, but control methods are only warranted in certain circumstances:
– Ornamental trees in yards, parks, etc. where aesthetics are important
– Trees in active sap harvest operations like maple sugaring
– Young/thin-barked trees that suffer bark stripping
– Old trees already declining from age, disease, etc.
– Orchards or landscapes where tree health/survival is critical
Occasional shallow drilling on large healthy trees in natural woodland settings does not require control efforts. Sapsucker damage in forests is generally self-limiting and not significant enough to harm trees. The sap loss and insect increase provides food for many other species. Land managers or foresters may choose to protect specific high value trees if warranted.
Preventing sapsucker damage
Here is a summary checklist of prevention and control methods for sapsucker damage:
Physical exclusion
– Wrap trunks in burlap, hardware cloth, or sheet metal
– Use wire mesh around young thin-barked trees
Making trees less attractive
– Allow tall grass around trees
– Encircle trunks with thorny bushes
– Maintain tree health and vigor
– Prune off branches with existing holes
Repellents
– Hot pepper/garlic oil mixtures
– Commercial bird repellent sprays
Scare tactics
– Mylar tape, aluminum pans, plastic owls
– Sprinklers, noisemakers
– Remove nesting cavities
Barriers on damaged trees
– Caulk holes
– Apply sticky repellent bands
– Cover wounds with grafting compound
Population reduction in extreme cases
– Tree removal
– Nesting cavity removal
– Trapping or removal by permitted professionals
Balancing conservation with control
It’s important to balance effective damage management for high value trees with responsible conservation of this native woodpecker species. Here are some key considerations:
– Focus control efforts only on trees suffering significant health/aesthetic impacts.
– Use preventive measures like tree wraps early before damage begins.
– Exclude birds from actively used areas, but allow them to access other habitat.
– Maintain snags and dead limbs for nesting sites.
– Follow laws prohibiting trapping/killing sapsuckers without permits.
– Educate others to recognize sapsuckers provide ecosystem benefits.
– Monitor tree health and target new sap wells promptly.
– Consider tree species susceptibilities when landscaping.
With some diligence and an integrated approach, sapsucker damage can usually be effectively minimized without putting undue pressure on their populations. Protecting both trees and birds is key.
Conclusion
Sapsuckers can be very destructive birds for homeowners and land managers dealing with individual trees of high value. However, from a broader forest ecosystem perspective, these native woodpeckers play an important role. Their specialized feeding habits help redistribute sap, minerals, and nutrients through the forest. The sap wells and holes they create provide nesting sites for other species and “sap wells” that multiple bird species visit to feed. The insects drawn in by their sap are food for a wide range of forest birds and mammals.
An integrated control strategy focused on individual problem trees, combined with maintaining healthy sapsucker populations and habitat in surrounding woodlands, is the best approach. Non-lethal exclusion, repellents, and deterrents allow conflict reduction for landowners while ensuring the ecosystem services of this unique woodpecker continue for the benefit of North American forests. With thoughtful management, sapsuckers and trees can coexist successfully.
