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A male Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) pauses at the entrance to his freshly excavated nesting cavity in a living aspen tree (Populus tremuloides) in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. This cavity will soon house a clutch of eggs, making the site critical to the species’ reproductive success. Red-naped Sapsuckers are keystone cavity nesters in western forests, with the holes they excavate often reused by secondary cavity nesters such as bluebirds, chickadees, and small mammals. As such, their nesting behavior directly contributes to broader forest biodiversity. Aspen forests, which provide ideal nesting sites for sapsuckers, are increasingly vulnerable to climate change, altered fire regimes, and grazing pressures. Protecting mature aspen stands is essential for preserving the ecological role of sapsuckers and the diverse species that depend on their nesting cavities.