: Breeds. in young deciduous and mixed woodlands mid May-mid Jul with most nests excavated in birch or aspen. Hard to detect unless vocalizing or ‘drumming.'
Migration: and widespread but inconspicuous beginning mid Apr with from late Mar and again mid Sep-mid Oct with to late Nov. Fall birds seem partial to apple trees.
: early Dec-mid Mar, the latest Bar Harbor, Jan 26, 2026, Most records in the vicinity of bird feeders with suet.
Miscellany: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, as their name suggests, consume significant amounts of sap from wells excavated by drilling neat horizontal rows of 3-15 holes in their feeding trees. These holes are tended to keep the sugary sap flowing and defended against sap theft from other birds, notably, Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Listen to their distinctive ‘drum' here.
As our part of coastal Maine warms, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, along with fellow late fall migrants such as Winter Wren and Fox Sparrow, may become more frequently reported Dec-Feb.
Last Reviewed: August 21st, 2026