Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) - HBW 7, p. 452

French: Pic maculé German: Gelbbauch-Saftlecker Spanish: Chupasavia Norteño
Other common names: Common Sapsucker

Taxonomy: Picus varius Linnaeus, 1766, North America = South Carolina.
Forms a superspecies with S. nuchalis and S. ruber; sometimes treated as conspecific with former, and in past also with latter; hybridizes to limited extent with former in SW Canada (Alberta), more rarely with latter where ranges overlap. Birds from S Appalachian Mountains sometimes separated as race appalachiensis on basis of slightly darker plumage and marginally smaller size, but considerable overlap with N populations; subspecific recognition considered unwarranted. Monotypic.

Distribution: S Yukon, SW Northwest Territories and NE British Columbia E to NC Ontario, S Labrador and Newfoundland, and S to C Alberta, E South Dakota, N Iowa and Appalachians (S to SW North Carolina). Winters SE USA (S from about S Kansas, S Ohio and Connecticut) S to Panama.