Sapsucker Damage on Trees: Identification and Management

Rows of small holes encircling trunks (especially Bradford pear, pecan, maple) are made by yellow-bellied sapsuckers, a woodpecker relative. They feed on sap and trapped insects.

Impact

Even hundreds of holes cause little lasting harm. The birds regulate their feeding to avoid killing the tree.

Recommendation

No control needed. The damage is cosmetic and temporary.

References: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior.

sapsucker damage, probably also some squirrel damage