More Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in Allegany State Park
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (male)
By: Pat Coate
Spent a recent Saturday morning at Allegany State Park and was excited to see several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers – yes, certain brother, that is their real name. And they really are well named as a major part of their diet is sap (along with fruit and insects) and they do have yellow on their bellies as can be seen in the pictures.
The male, identified by its red throat, in the picture above shared the tree with an aggressive European Starling as shown in the next three photos.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker with European Starling (dark blob in background)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker with European Starling closing in
European Starling harassing Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (male)
The starling eventually chased off the sapsucker.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (female)
Female looks similar but has white throat instead of red.
Holes drilled by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
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Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
Great series of pictures. My favorite picture is the one of the starling with its wings unfurling.
I was at a friend’s house this past Tuesday and took a few photographs of birds.
12 May 2011 at 10:50 am
Just saw sapsucker holes in a tulip tree today; my adventure buddy saw one in person this spring, but I haven’t seen one for a couple of years.
12 May 2011 at 9:48 pm
Great series of the Sapsucker. That is one I had hoped to see recently in South America! Why? Well, I was in Colombia in April, and there had just been reports of the first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker for Continental Colombia – in the Santa Marta area. Alas, did not see it – but lots of other stuff of course
17 May 2011 at 4:25 pm