First chipping sparrows moved in last week

Winter bird numbers continue to increase as colder weather to our north helps move many species southward. The white-throated sparrow flock where I live in Conway appears to be growing daily, and the first chipping sparrows of the season moved in last week and have been daily visitors since. A few folks have reported vesper sparrows from wild areas, while song, Savannah and swamp sparrow numbers are increasing.

Yellow-bellied sapsucker and Northern flicker numbers also appear to be increasing, as these birds are becoming more easily seen and heard in developed areas as well as undeveloped woodlots and forested areas. Sapsuckers are interesting and important little woodpeckers. Their name “sapsucker” derives from their habit of drilling rows of small, round holes in the trunks and larger branches of trees and large shrubs, then maintaining those holes as sap wells which they visit both for the sap and to glean insects attracted by sap. Over two hundred tree species are known to be used by sapsuckers. A clue to the presence of these handsome little birds is the occurrence of neat rows of tiny holes on tree trunks and branches. Frequently one may hear the mew-like call of a sapsucker, sounding somewhat like the call of a gray catbird.

Sapsuckers are important to a number of other bird species due to maintenance of their namesake food stources. A diverse number of other species are known to utilize sapsucker wells, such as kinglets, nuthatches, finches, other woodpeckers, orioles and hummingbirds. So many other birds benefit from sapsucker wells, especially in winter, that the little woodpecker is considered a keystone species of winter bird communities. Without the sapsucker wells providing food in the form of sap and the insects attracted to them, many birds might not be able to survive the winter season in North America. Observing sapsucker wells in our area reveals a number of birds taking advantage of this resource in winter, including ruby-throated and rufous hummingbirds.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds have a special relationship with yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Not only do the ruby-throateds that spend winter in North America benefit from the sap wells, but the hummers’ migration in spring parallels that of the yellow-bellied sapsucker. The hummers follow sapsuckers and take advantage of their sap wells as they make their way to more northern breeding grounds. In fact, some ruby-throateds arrive on their far northern breeding grounds two to three weeks before any hummingbird appropriate flowers begin to bloom. In the interim, our tiniest feathered friends utilize sapsucker wells for sap and insects to meet their dietary needs.

This story was originally published November 12, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "First chipping sparrows moved in last week."