Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Population Analysis
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has surged: up 108% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a North American member of the Woodpeckers (Picidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 6–19.5 in long (15–50 cm) — a chisel-billed climber (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 614 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 25 states, most concentrated in the Atlantic Northern Forest.
- Family
- Picidae · Forest birds
Notable Yellow-bellied Sapsucker TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has surged in surveyed states: up 108% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is projected to stay roughly flat through 2030, near 0.67 (95% range 0.50–0.83). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±15.9%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Is Detected
BBS routes recording Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, sized by most recent count.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Population Trend by State
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 108% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.