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The Weekly Bird Word

11/04/25

This week’s Bird Word:
Sapsucker

A sapsucker is a type of woodpecker that drills holes in trees in search of sap (and any insects that might be caught in it). As they make neat rows of shallow holes called “ sap wells,” sapsuckers sip up leaking sap with their brush-tipped tongues. Look for Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in forests around northern Virginia as they make their way back to our area after a summer spent in cooler climates.

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker seeking tree sap by creating neat, shallow rows of sap wells. Photo: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Barb D'Arpino/Audubon Photography Awards

More in local bird and nature news:

Calling all Photographers: We’re having a photo calendar contest! Enter your best northern Virginia bird shots and help support NVBA’s conservation work.
The Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas website has launched! One of the largest avian survey projects in Virginia, the Second Atlas provides an incredible amount of data about birds in Virginia that can be used to direct conservation efforts and more.
Let’s go birding: Join us at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly for a fall bird walk on Saturday, November 8.
Are you a public school teacher? Learn about our Hog Island Scholarship program from last year’s winner - we postponed our original program date to November 20.
Paint a female Northern Cardinal this week: Ronna Fujisawa will guide you step-by-step through the process of painting this subtly beautiful bird in watercolor on Thursday, November 6.
Italian eco-tourism and conservation: Ever wondered what birds you can find in Italy? Join us for this free program with Marco Valtriani on November 24 - you can come in person or via zoom.
It’s time for goldenrods: And contrary to popular belief, these golden, autumn-blooming pollinator powerhouses are not the cause of fall allergies!
We need your help: Check out our volunteer page for all the different ways you can lend a hand! From pulling invasives to helping with tabling events and counting birds and insects, there’s something for everyone.

See you out there,
Northern Virginia Bird Alliance

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