White stripe from bill to belly, less red than black on the head and males' throat, bold white upperwing coverts, and that will likely equal a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker wintering bird. Even rarely, one might even discover the adult black-crowned female. With a similar call to a flicker with the wick-a-wick-a, and Queeh-yah, one will soon spot this uncommon bird, if it is heard. It is usually less active than many other woodpeckers, and will tap quietly. Its small, shallow holes are usually in line vertically, where they will feed upon sap and the insects contained therein.
These woodpeckers have strong, straight bills. In winter they can be found in orchards, favoring deciduous trees. It will hybridize with the Red-naped and Red-breasted Sapsuckers of the west in appropriate zones.
This woodpecker is sometimes considered a pest, as its feeding habits are known to seriously damage trees due to frenzied feeding practices. They will gird trees, meaning that they will remove an entire ring of bark around a tree that insects will permeate.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northwest Payne County CBC, 2017
Even though the lemony belly can be difficult to observe on perching birds, one's chances will be better on maple, aspen, and fruit trees, due to their strong sap production. Due to its continual work with seeking sap, these woodpeckers tend to help feed insects, hummingbirds, bats, porcupines, butterflies, and warblers with their overzealous work.
The Spanish woodpecker will readily avail itself to back yards for suet, sugar water, jelly, and small pieces of sweet desert, like donuts or Danish.
Look for a photo of an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker here:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/01/first-of-year-spectacular-shots.html
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