Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

This feather belongs to a medium-sized woodpecker known for its unique foraging habits. The bird has a red crown, black and white striped face, and a distinctive pale yellow wash on its belly. The black-and-white barred flight feathers are a hallmark of the Picidae family.

Striking melanistic base of dark charcoal-black with distinct, crisp white rectangular or oval spotting/notching along the inner vane. A small white tip is present at the apex.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane for flight efficiency, becoming slightly more plumulaceous near the base.

Smooth, stiff, and glossy on the dorsal surface. The texture is designed for aerodynamic durability and resistance to wear against tree bark.

Bold white oval spots/notches on a black background, rounded tip with a small white terminal mark, and a very stiff rachis.

Mixed coniferous and deciduous forests, orchards, and sometimes suburban parks during migration. Prefers young forest stands and areas with aspen or birch.

Breeds across Canada and the northeastern United States; migrates southward to the southeastern U.S., Mexico, and Central America for the winter.

Keystone species; their sap wells provide a vital food source for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insects. They are primary cavity nesters.

Downy Woodpecker (smaller with different spot spacing), Hairy Woodpecker (larger), and Red-naped Sapsucker (very similar, distinguished primarily by geography).

Unlike other woodpeckers that drill for insects, sapsuckers drill neat rows of shallow holes called 'sap wells' to drink sap and eat the insects attracted to the sugary liquid.

The feather appears in excellent condition with minimal wear or fraying at the edges, suggesting it was recently molted or lost.