Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are mostly black and white with boldly patterned faces. Both sexes have red foreheads, and males also have red throats. Look for a long white stripe along the folded wing. Bold black-and-white stripes curve from the face toward a black chest shield and white or yellowish underparts.

What is the difference between a sapsucker and a woodpecker?

You can tell the difference between the birds that have been visiting your trees by the holes they leave behind. Sapsuckers have a tendency to form lots of small holes in horizontal lines. ... Meanwhile, the holes left behind by woodpeckers are larger and can be found in different spots up and down a tree.

Do sapsuckers damage trees?

This sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius varius L.) is a member of the American woodpecker family. It attacks trees to feed on the sap and bark tissues (fig. 1). Its attacks can kill the tree or seriously degrade the wood.