Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber
order Piciformes    family Picidae

Red-breasted Sapsucker #29, Sacramento County California  11 February 2025

Red-breasted Sapsucker #28, Sacramento County California  11 February 2025

Red-breasted Sapsucker #27, Sacramento County California  11 February 2025

Red-breasted Sapsucker #26, Sacramento County California  11 February 2025

Red-breasted Sapsucker #25, Sacramento County California  07 February 2025

immature Red-breasted Sapsucker eating berries at Wrights Lake

Red-breasted Sapsucker #24, El Dorado County California  02 August 2024

Red-breasted Sapsucker #23, El Dorado County California  02 August 2024

Red-breasted Sapsucker #22, El Dorado County California  02 August 2024

Red-breasted Sapsucker #21, El Dorado County California  02 August 2024

Red-breasted Sapsucker #20, El Dorado County California  02 August 2024

Red-breasted Sapsucker #19, El Dorado County California  27 July 2023

Red-breasted Sapsucker #18, El Dorado County California  27 July 2023

Red-breasted Sapsucker #17, El Dorado County California  27 July 2023

Red-breasted Sapsucker #16, El Dorado County California  27 July 2023

Red-breasted Sapsucker #15, El Dorado County California  27 July 2023

Red-breasted Sapsucker #13, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #12, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #11, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #10, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #09, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #08, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #07, Sacramento County California  09 March 2021

Red-breasted Sapsucker #04, Sierra County California  05 June 2017

Field identification tips: Sapsuckers (genus Sphyrapicus) are woodpeckers with a bold white stripe on the wing when folded, which may be hidden under body contour feathers. Sapsuckers feed by drilling small holes in tree trunks, returning to the holes for the sap and insects feeding on the sap. The Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) is the only sapsucker with a red head, throat and upper breast.  

S. ruber hybridizes with Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) where their ranges overlap in the Great Basin.  S. nuchalis x ruber shows a mix of the two parents' plumage, with much of the black-and-white facial pattern of S. nuchalis and an overlay of red head, face, throat and upper breast.

Typical range:  S. ruber is a bird of the pacific slope mountains from Alaska through California. Populations breeding at higher elevations move downslope to nearby valleys and to the Pacific coast for the winter.
text & photographs Copyright © Douglas Herr
all rights reserved
last updated 20 February 2026
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