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| Sapsuckers | ||||||||||||
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Sphyrapicus varius Sphyrapicus nuchalis Sphyrapicus ruber |
The Sapsuckers form the genus Sphyrapicus within the woodpecker family Picidae.
Species currently recognised include:
As their name implies, sapsuckers feed partly on the sap of trees (though they do also eat insects). In consequence, they bore numerous holes in the bark, and are sometimes thought of as a pest by foresters.