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| 8 1/2" A furtive woodpecker mottled with off-white and black, male has red crown and throat, female has only red crown both sexes dull-yellowish below, immatures dull brown, conspicuous white wing stripe visible both at rest and in flight Lives in deciduous forests, mixed deciduous-conifer forests. In winter found in almost any woodland habitat, orchards, parks. Drills series of regularly spaced holes about 1/4 inch in diameter in tree trunks (at least 275 species of trees - and counting). Comes back later to drink sap and eat insects attracted to the sap. Tree's scars visible years later. Has about 5 - 6 white eggs in a tree cavity excavated by the birds, usually near edge of the woods It breeds from central Canada to Newfoundland south across Missouri, winters south, south east US and tropics Its voice sounds like mewing and whining tones sucks sap, also fruit and berries guards sap well from other birds including Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, young fed sap, taught sap-sucking at 2 weeks age |
| yellow-bellied Sapsucker Syphyrapicus varius |
| Photos by George W. Bowles, Sr. 2005 |
| FEMALE |
| MALE |
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