Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Silhouette: Nancy Wyman (photo), John E. McCormack, Michael G. Harvey, Brant C. Faircloth, Nicholas G. Crawford, Travis C. Glenn, Robb T. Brumfield & T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
- GenusSphyrapicus (Sapsuckers)
- SpeciesSphyrapicus varius (Yellow-bellied Sapsucker)
About the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
The yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a medium-sized woodpecker that breeds in Canada and the northeastern United States. The yellow-bellied sapsucker was described and illustrated using a hand-coloured plate by the English naturalist Mark Catesby in his The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands which was published between 1729 and 1732. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition, he included the yellow-bellied sapsucker, coined the binomial name Picus varius and cited Catesby's book. The specific epithet varius is the Latin word meaning "various", "diverse" or "variegated". Linnaeus specified the type locality as America septentrionalis (North America) but the locality is now restricted to South Carolina. The yellow-bellied sapsucker is now placed in the genus Sphyrapicus that was erected in 1858 by the American naturalist Spencer Baird with the yellow-bellied sapsucker as the type species. Within the genus Sphyrapicus, the yellow-bellied sapsucker is sister to a clade containing the red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) and the red-naped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Bastimentos Island National Marine Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Bastimentos Island National Marine Park
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Melanerpes pucherani
Lineated Woodpecker
Dryocopus lineatus
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Campephilus guatemalensis
Chestnut-colored Woodpecker
Celeus castaneus
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
Campephilus melanoleucos
Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus
Black-mandibled Toucan
Ramphastos ambiguus
Collared Aracari
Pteroglossus torquatus
Pied Puffbird
Notharchus tectus
White-necked Puffbird
Notharchus hyperrhynchus
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Galbula ruficauda
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Bastimentos Island National Marine Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker sighting in Bastimentos Island National Marine Park, based on 59 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Bastimentos Island National Marine Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Bastimentos Island National Marine Park in our monthly data.