Maple tree in trouble

one of our sugar maples has 1/4'' holes threw the bark and sap is running out the holes.
there has to be several dozen holes and they are in a horizontal line around different limbs.
older holes has killed the limbs their on.

so whats going on ''bug infestation'',''wood pecker damage'',,,,I am at a total loss.

its looking like the tree is heading for the next hugel bed if this keeps up.

Mike

If the holes are all evenly spaced and in horizontal lines like you mentioned you've just described classic sap-sucker type bird damage - the birds peck a little hole into the bark in order to "tap" the tree and get at that delicious sap. Once the tree reacts and stops the wound from weeping the bird moves over a step and starts another hole. If there's enough of the holes an entire patch of bark will die, or even worse, if they ring the tree usually everything above the ring is a goner.

Michael Newby wrote:If the holes are all evenly spaced and in horizontal lines like you mentioned you've just described classic sap-sucker type bird damage - the birds peck a little hole into the bark in order to "tap" the tree and get at that delicious sap. Once the tree reacts and stops the wound from weeping the bird moves over a step and starts another hole. If there's enough of the holes an entire patch of bark will die, or even worse, if they ring the tree usually everything above the ring is a goner.

you are spot on with this answer
my wife found this on line tonight
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/sapsucker_feeding_habits_benefit_overall_forest_ecology

this is exactly what is doing this
the damage is bad so the one tree will go into the hugle bed

thank you for the response

Mike