Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Body
Medium-sized woodpecker is having Black head traversed by white postocular stripe extending down neck. Red forehead. Pale moustachial stripe offsets black chest and complete, thick black border to throat. Black back with faint white bars. Black wings, with white barring on flight feathers and bold white patch on wing coverts. Yellow breast fades to whitish lower belly and vent, and is streaked sparsely about the flanks. White rump. Dark tail with black and white barring on centralmost and outermost retricies. Very rarely shows red nape spot. Adult male with Red throat and adult female with White throat. Normally the length varies from 8 - 9"
Habitat
Breeding habitat: Deciduous and mixed forests, especially woods with aspen. Requires dead trees or trees with some soft wood for excavating nest cavities.
Winter habitat: Orchards, parks, woodlands.
Diet
Tree sap and the inner bark of trees; insects such as ants, beetles, and moths; wild fruits and berries.
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