What material do Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers typically excavate for creating their nesting cavities?
Answer
Dead or decaying trees or limbs, usually in hardwoods or conifers
Although their feeding behavior focuses on the sap just under the surface of living trees, their nesting habits align more closely with other woodpeckers concerning the substrate used for shelter. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker excavates cavities for rearing young, preferring wood that is already compromised due to death or decay. This substrate can include both hardwood and coniferous materials. The entrance hole for these nests is characteristically small, usually measuring less than two inches in diameter, and the cavity might contain wood chips left over from the excavation process.

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