| Group | Woodpeckers |
| Code | ABNYF05010 |
| Order | Piciformes |
| Family | Picidae |
| Author | (Linnaeus, 1766) |
| Rank | G5 (definitions) |
| Occurrence | SM (definitions) |
| Scale | C (definitions) |
| Western UP | all |
| Eastern UP | all |
| Northern LP | all |
| Southern LP | Clinton, Calhoun, Allegan, Ionia, Ingham, Huron, Gratiot, Kent, Tuscola, Sanilac, Saginaw, Ottawa, Muskegon, Montcalm |
Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes
(Any Upland Deciduous (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
or (Any Upland Mixed (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
containing:
(Mast and Snags)
view decision rule term definitions
| Habitats | Regen | Sap | Pole | Sm Saw | Lg Saw | Uneven |
| Aspen | no | no | no | YES | YES | - |
| Paper Birch | no | no | no | YES | YES | - |
| Oak | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Assorted Hardwoods | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Northern Hardwoods | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Spruce/Fir | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Hemlock | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Jack Pine | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Red Pine | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| White Pine | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Conifer Plantations | no | no | no | no | no | - |
| Mixed Upland Hardwoods | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Mixed Northern Hardwoods | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Mixed Upland Conifer | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Mixed Pine | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Swamp Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Bottomland Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Tamarack | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Northern White Cedar | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Black Spruce | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Mixed Lowland Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Mixed Lowland Conifer | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Non-Forested | none | |||||
| Special Features | Mast, Snags |
Habitat: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are forest birds, inhabiting deciduous and mixed woods where they excavate new nest cavities each year (often in a tree where they have nested before). Atlas Habitat Survey data show a sapsucker preference for northern hardwood forest, with or without a conifer component. For nesting, these birds favor mature aspen groves, often selecting a living aspen infected with the false tinder fungus, which causes heartwood decay. Height of nest cavities can range from 5 to 60 feet. Nesting pairs are generally spaced apart at no less than 5 acres.
Birch, basswood, apple, and hickory appear to be favored trees for foraging and a family group usually selects only one or two trees for regular feeding.
Any change in the abundance of mesic deciduous and mixed forest habitats will doubtless affect the breeding abundance of this bird
Habitat: Breeding: Mixed hardwood-conifer forests, especially near water and small clearings, woodlots, occasionally in orchards. Wintering: Floodplain forest and mature ornamental conifers.
Special Habitat Requirements: Trees with a dbh of 10 inches or more are most suitable for nesting.
Habitat: Woodlands, aspen groves; in winter, also orchards, other trees. In summer mostly in mixed coniferous and deciduous woods, especially around aspens. May be found in any kind of woods or even dry brush in migration. Winters mostly in deciduous trees.
Diet: Includes insects, tree sap, fruit. Feeds on a wide variety of insects, including many ants (taken from tree trunks). Also regularly feeds on tree sap, and on berries and fruits.
Nest: Site is cavity in tree, usually deciduous tree such as aspen, poplar, birch, 6-60 feet above ground. Often uses same tree in consecutive years, rarely same nest hole. Favors trees affected by tinder fungus, which softens heartwood while leaving outer part of trunk firm.