Holes left in a tree by a Sapsucker Bird.

When you notice the tree it has multiple holes drilled into the bark, almost always the holes are in a straight-line. Immediately, one thinks bores or some vicious insect, but it's not its sapsucker damage.

Sapsuckers are woodpeckers who migrate north in the spring and back to the south in the fall. One bit of trivia is that the Yellow Bellied Woodpecker is the only one in eastern North America that is completely migratory. These birds feed primarily on sap and insects that are drawn to their seeping holes left in the tree. Sapsuckers feed on living trees and are considered a pest by many homeowners. These birds are protected and should not be harmed.

It seems as these birds migrate they return to the same tree over time the trunk is riddled with holes. One can try to deter them with noise makers, foil pans, or similar objects that will frighten them away.

In southern Illinois Bradford Pear, White Pine, Ash and many others are their favorite collection points. It is rare that these feedings actually kill a tree, but many trees are weakened by this damage overtime.

If a tree is damaged one might consider using an application of a complete fertilizer such as 12-12-12, around the tree in the fall to help the tree recover.

So, be on the lookout for these pesky visitors and protect your tree with a deterrent if needed. Personally, I just enjoy them and tolerate them feeding on my trees. What do you think?