Who/what is putting holes in my maples?

[wobbletop]

Southwestern Ontario.

I was checking how my taps are healing. Funny how some are completely dry already, but some are still leaking heavily. But noticed other trees were leaking from some type of "pest".

Shallow hole about 1/4" diameter, although I have found other smaller holes about 1/8" diameter. The sapsuckers in my area don't show up until later and tend to go after the birches, and not the maples.

Do regular woodpeckers, like downy or hairy woodpeckers, do this?

Thanks!

[MarquisVII]

I am having the exact same thing this year on a good deal of my trees, SE Wisconsin. Started about a week ago after I pulled taps. It's definitely a bird, just not sure what species. Some trees have 6-8 those littles holes in a line and the whole side of a tree is wet with sap!

[Sugar Bear]

Southwestern Ontario.

I was checking how my taps are healing. Funny how some are completely dry already, but some are still leaking heavily. But noticed other trees were leaking from some type of "pest".

Shallow hole about 1/4" diameter, although I have found other smaller holes about 1/8" diameter. The sapsuckers in my area don't show up until later and tend to go after the birches, and not the maples.

Do regular woodpeckers, like downy or hairy woodpeckers, do this?

Thanks!

Downy woodpeckers make those holes.

[sapman]

Most likely yellow bellied sapsucker. I never realized they were so plentiful, but I hear them often now. They make an inconsistent tapping. Listen online maybe you'll notice them. They've gotten at a lot of my trees. Had them weeping sap before I even tapped. But they are beautiful and cool.