Bird
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Lives in Virginia all year and nests here. Found in all 133 counties and cities, across 20 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 20

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 20
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Virginia 20
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone









Streams, rivers and their banks


Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Granite and other acidic rock outcrops
Bare or thin-soil rock on granite, gneiss, sandstone, quartzite and similar acidic rock, including granite flatrocks and domes.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (128)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Virginia.
- Developed, Low Intensity Winter.
- Orchards Vineyards and Other High Structure Agriculture Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Winter.
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Winter.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Floodplain Forest Winter.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
- Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Winter.
- Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Winter.
- Edwards Plateau Dry-Mesic Slope Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Winter.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Winter.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Western Great Plains Dry Bur Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
- Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Northwestern Great Plains - Black Hills Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Winter.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Winter.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp Winter.
- South Florida Mangrove Swamp Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Winter.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Winter.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Winter.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome Winter.
- Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Winter.
- Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Winter.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Winter.
- Northwestern Great Plains Floodplain Winter.
- Mississippi River Riparian Forest Winter.
- Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
Seasons in Virginia
- Migratory: does not nest here, in 61 of 133 counties and cities.
- Winter: does not nest here, in 87 of 133 counties and cities.
- Summer: nests here, in 9 of 133 counties and cities.
Also found in this habitat
Plants 1082
Plants named in NatureServe descriptions of these habitats that grow in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food.
- Red MapleAcer rubrum
- White OakQuercus alba
- Flowering DogwoodBenthamidia florida
- Pignut HickoryCarya glabra
- American BeechFagus grandifolia
- Mountain LaurelKalmia latifolia
- Virginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefolia
- TuliptreeLiriodendron tulipifera
- SourwoodOxydendrum arboreum
- Christmas FernPolystichum acrostichoides
- White AshFraxinus americana
- Mockernut HickoryCarya tomentosa
- Northern SpicebushLindera benzoin
- SweetgumLiquidambar styraciflua
- Loblolly PinePinus taeda
- Chestnut OakQuercus montana
- Sun-facing ConeflowerRudbeckia heliopsidis
- Eastern HemlockTsuga canadensis
- Sugar MapleAcer saccharum
- BlackgumNyssa sylvatica
- American GinsengPanax quinquefolius
- Virginia PinePinus virginiana
- Southern Red OakQuercus falcata
- Post OakQuercus stellata
Wildlife 249
Other animals whose habitat models include the same habitats in Virginia. Not sighting records.
- Pine SiskinCarduelis pinus
- Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellus
- Rusty BlackbirdEuphagus carolinus
- Acadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescens
- Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorum
- Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
- Hooded WarblerWilsonia citrina
- Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea
- Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimus
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis
- Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticorax
- Chestnut-sided WarblerDendroica pensylvanica
- Chuck-will's-widowCaprimulgus carolinensis
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Golden-winged WarblerVermivora chrysoptera
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Olive-sided FlycatcherContopus cooperi
- Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea
NatureServe Explorer, CC BY 4.0. USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Avoids forest interior
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)

















































