For the Birds: The mating call of the red-breasted sapsucker

Male Red-breasted Sapsucker pounds out his matting call
Photo by Elaine Chuang

This Red-breasted Sapsucker is pounding out his territory and calling all the “ladies” in his area.

Note the bare “white” space on the green road sign.

He pounds in the same place, year after year.

Presumably he, or perhaps another male sapsucker, has another calling/ pounding sign, with also a small bare space, one block down and two blocks east -- about a block as the sapsucker flies.

He first started sending out his telegraphed message Monday, April 16th.

Christine Southwick
For the Birds Columnist