<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <form3HoldingsReported>1</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>1</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000700863</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SUSQ</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227070</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DESOTO PETER</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>26 NORTH CEDAR STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LITITZ</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>17543</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>L</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>116231</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>118745</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>3</transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>118745</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This transaction is being amended to change the number of shares acquired, as only estimated amounts were available at the time of filing of the Form 4 that reported the transaction on November 20, 2007. The subject shares were acquired as consideration for the exchange of 78,536 shares of Community Banks, Inc. Common Stock in the merger of Community into Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc. On the effective date of the merger, the closing price of Community Common stock was $28.44, and the closing price of Susquehanna's Common Stock was $19.01.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 200 shares of Common Stock owned by the reporting person as of November 16, 2007, the date on which the reporting person became a director of Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., which the reporting person inadvertently failed to disclose in his Form 3 Filed November 19, 2007.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Abram G. Koser, attorney-in-fact for Peter DeSoto</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-01-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
