Red-naped Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

22 cm (8") Fairly common. Western United States. southern Alberta, southern British Columbia. Deciduous forests.

Very similar to Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (ranges overlap in Canada). Red forehead and back of head. Male has a red chin and throat area; female has a white chin and some red on throat.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Female - Alberta, Alberta, CA - June 26, 2008

Credit: Matt MacGillivray

Immature - Snake River Canyon in Wyoming, US - August 9, 2012

Credit: carfull...gone to see the Mouse

Male - Kohl's Ranch, Tonto National Forest, Gila Co., Arizona

Credit: Carla Kishinami

Female - Preisker Park in Santa Maria, CA on January 28, 2006

Credit: Jamie Chavez

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Red-naped Sapsucker l Sweetwater Wetlands l Tucson Arizona

Credit: Birding Visions Cinema | Clive Bramham

Red-naped Sapsucker Video

Credit: Kyle Ohaver

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 5 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Red-naped Sapsucker (Female)

3 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Checkered black and white · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:232-red-naped-sapsucker:1:1 Source: 232 Red-naped Sapsucker, row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Checkered black and white · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white)
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:232-red-naped-sapsucker:2:1 Source: 232 Red-naped Sapsucker, row 2

Rule 3 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Checkered black and white · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:232-red-naped-sapsucker:3:1 Source: 232 Red-naped Sapsucker, row 3

Red-naped Sapsucker (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Checkered black and white · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:232-red-naped-sapsucker:1:2 Source: 232 Red-naped Sapsucker, row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Checkered black and white · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:232-red-naped-sapsucker:3:2 Source: 232 Red-naped Sapsucker, row 3