Acorn Woodpecker or Red-Breasted Sapsucker ?

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

Song

Audio by Gabriel Leite

There's more to learn about Acorn Woodpecker

Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

How to recognise a red-breasted sapsucker?

General appearance

The red-breasted sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker known for its vivid red head, throat, and chest. Its back is predominantly black with white barring, while the wings are black with white spots. Underparts are pale, and its tail is black with white outer feathers. It has a sturdy bill, ideal for drilling into trees.

Male vs female

The red-breasted sapsucker exhibits minimal sexual dimorphism, making it difficult to distinguish between males and females in the field. Both sexes appear similar in size and coloration. Generally, the red coloration is slightly more intense in males, but this can be challenging to observe without direct comparison.

Juvenile

Juveniles are less vibrantly colored than adults, featuring a mottled mix of brown and gray on their heads and less prominent red on their throats and breasts. The back and wings display the typical patterns but are duller. As they mature, juveniles gradually acquire the distinctive adult plumage.

Size

7.9 - 8.7 in/1.4 - 2.4 oz

Habitat

Embracing the wild Northwest

The red-breasted sapsucker thrives here, in the moss-laden forests of the American Northwest. Amid dense canopies, it delights in the rain-kissed air and chill of the forests, its rhythmic pecking echoing through the silent woods.

Unexpected Urbanites

Surprisingly, these crimson-chested birds can turn urban too! Parkland with old trees is their city haunt, adding a dash of wild berry red to the city’s concrete canvas. They’re little pioneers, carving homes in the heart of human hustle.

Range Map

What do red-breasted sapsuckers like to eat?

Natural diet

The red-breasted sapsucker primarily feeds on a wide variety of insects, which includes many ants found on tree trunks. It also regularly consumes tree sap, which is a significant part of its diet. In addition to insects and sap, it feeds on various fruits and berries available in its natural habitat.

Bird feeders

Common foods for the red-breasted sapsucker at bird feeders might include suet, fruits, and sometimes sugar water, which mimics the sugary sap they consume naturally. These foods can attract them to residential areas where they can be observed more easily.

What does a red-breasted sapsucker sound like?

The Red-breasted Sapsucker typically produces soft, slurred whee-ur or mew-like calls that are reminiscent of the Red-naped Sapsucker's call. The call pattern is falling and flat. The bird's vocalizations can be classified into types such as a chirp or chip, a drumming sound, a rattle, and even a scream. These diverse sounds make up the complex language of the Red-breasted Sapsucker.

Call

Audio by Richard E. Webster

Call

Audio by Richard E. Webster

There's more to learn about Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Acorn Woodpecker

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Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

General appearance

The acorn woodpecker has a striking appearance with a black back, white belly, and a distinctive red crown. Its face is mostly white with a black patch around the eye and a strong, pointed bill. The wings are black with white patches visible during flight. The bird is medium-sized, with a length of around 8-9 inches.

Male vs female

Both male and female acorn woodpeckers have a bright red crown, but males have a solid red crown extending from the forehead to the nape, while females have a black band separating the red crown from the white forehead. This subtle difference helps in distinguishing the genders.

Juvenile

Juvenile acorn woodpeckers are similar in appearance to adults but with duller colors. Their red crown is less vibrant, and the black and white facial patterns are less distinct. Juveniles may also have more of a brownish tint compared to the glossy black of adults.

Size

7.5 - 9.1 in/2.3 - 3.2 oz

There's more to learn about Acorn Woodpecker

Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

General appearance

The red-breasted sapsucker is a medium-sized woodpecker known for its vivid red head, throat, and chest. Its back is predominantly black with white barring, while the wings are black with white spots. Underparts are pale, and its tail is black with white outer feathers. It has a sturdy bill, ideal for drilling into trees.

Male vs female

The red-breasted sapsucker exhibits minimal sexual dimorphism, making it difficult to distinguish between males and females in the field. Both sexes appear similar in size and coloration. Generally, the red coloration is slightly more intense in males, but this can be challenging to observe without direct comparison.

Juvenile

Juveniles are less vibrantly colored than adults, featuring a mottled mix of brown and gray on their heads and less prominent red on their throats and breasts. The back and wings display the typical patterns but are duller. As they mature, juveniles gradually acquire the distinctive adult plumage.

Size

7.9 - 8.7 in/1.4 - 2.4 oz

There's more to learn about Red-Breasted Sapsucker

How to tell the Acorn Woodpecker from the Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Visual differences

The Acorn Woodpecker is 7.5-9 inches long, with a black back, white belly, and distinctive red crown (males: solid red, females: red with black band). It has a strong, pointed bill. The Red-Breasted Sapsucker, slightly smaller at 8-8.5 inches, features a vivid red head, throat, and chest. Its back has white barring, and wings bear white spots. Both have sturdy bills, but the Sapsucker's underparts are paler. Acorn Woodpeckers exhibit clear gender differences, unlike the more uniformly colored Red-Breasted Sapsucker.

Key differences and behavior

The Acorn Woodpecker and Red-Breasted Sapsucker exhibit distinct behaviors and habitats. Acorn Woodpeckers, residing mainly in oak woods, are known for their unique granary system where they store acorns in tree holes. They form large cooperative breeding groups, with shared parenting responsibilities. Their diet, predominantly acorns, includes insects, nuts, and fruits. In contrast, the Red-Breasted Sapsucker prefers moss-laden forests and urban parklands in the American Northwest. These birds drill into deciduous trees to consume sap and insects. They participate in courtship displays and use nest cavities high in trees for breeding. Both engage in cooperative parenting. Their diet mainly consists of insects and tree sap, supplemented by berries and fruit. Sapsuckers often interact with hummingbirds, which feed on the sap wells they create. Overall, Acorn Woodpeckers are highly social and storage-focused, while Red-Breasted Sapsuckers are sap-oriented and adapt well to urban environments.

Still not sure? Here are more lookalikes!

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