402. Sphyrapicus varius 
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. 8 1-2 inches 
Male. Above black and yellowish; crown red; broad patch of 
white on the wings. Below, throat red; breast black ; belly yellow- 
ish. Female. Similar, but ¢hroat white. 
Feeds on insects and sap of trees. Their tapping is slower and 
more irregular than the other woodpeckers. The rows of holes 
around old apple trees are made by these birds. Spring and 
autumn migrant in Massachusetts in April and October. 
Note. Loud and squealing. 
Nest. Ina hole in a tree. 
Breeds. In northern New England. 
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