sapsucker

[ sap-suhk-er ]

noun

1. any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Sphyrapicus that drill holes in maple, apple, hemlock, etc., drinking the sap and eating the insects that gather there.

sapsucker

/ ˈsæpˌsʌkə /

noun

1. either of two North American woodpeckers, Sphyrapicus varius or S. thyroideus, that have white wing patches and feed on the sap from trees

Word History and Origins

Origin of sapsucker¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; sap ¹ + sucker

Example Sentences

On the front wall, a pair of Bullock’s orioles feeds three chicks, and a red-breasted sapsucker feeds two.

From Washington Post

“Yellow-bellied sapsucker,” she called out 10 minutes into the walk.

From New York Times

The area is home to woodpeckers like the red-breasted sapsucker and songbirds like the black-headed grosbeak, which whistles its warbled song in the shade.

From Seattle Times

Prior to Hercules’ tenure at the airport, wildlife strikes have included at least two coyotes, two deer, three bats, three geese and a yellow bellied sapsucker.

From Washington Times

The yellow-bellied sapsucker knocks neat lines of holes in the trunks of trees, to the consternation of some gardeners, but the sap loss is minimal, and, besides, there’s nothing you can do about it.

From Washington Post