Red-Naped Sapsucker

A woodpecker of montane aspen and mixed conifer forest in the western United States and Canada, best located by the neat rows of sap wells it drills in aspen and willow bark. It taps in a distinctive irregular rhythm rather than a steady drum, and often returns repeatedly to the same sap trees, which can be watched for reliable views. Late spring through summer, during the breeding season, is the best time, when birds are most active and vocal at nest holes.