Sunday, February 2, 2014

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)

We have been keeping our eye on a new little bird in our yard.  We finally figured out it is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (a small woodpecker) which only migrate through GA during the winter and non-breeding season.  This little cutie has  been here for at least a week now drilling little holes in our tree in a very distinctive pattern.  These patterns are called sapwells, shallow holes in the trees in which they lap up the sugary sap or any insects that might get caught in the stickiness.

Female and male Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers look a like except the males have a red throat, the females do not have red on their throats. This is a male in the photo below.  Read more at National Geographic.


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