Williamson's Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus thyroideus

Explore this bird

Identification

23 cm (9") Uncommon. Western mountain pine forests.

Male: black head, breast and back. Narrow white stripe on head. Yellow belly. Large white wing patch. White rump.

Female: brown head. Black breast patch. Back and wings are barred brown and white. Yellow belly. No wing patch like other sapsuckers.

Details in the field

4 photos

Credit: Bill Bouton

Watch and learn

2 videos

Williamson's Sapsucker in San Jacinto mountains l Birds of California

Credit: Birding Visions Cinema | Clive Bramham

Male Williamson's Sapsucker-clip 2

Credit: SeEttaM

Where it lives

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

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

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 2

Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · 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) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · 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:235-williamson-s-sapsucker-female:1:1 Source: 235 Williamson's Sapsucker (Female), row 1

1 rule

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 2

What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: 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 · 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 ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: 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:234-williamson-s-sapsucker-male:1:1 Source: 234 Williamson's Sapsucker (Male), row 1