1 68 Birds of Oregon and Washington 



RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION : 



Head, neck and chest, uniform red, or with white 

 markings and black chest-patch showing in- 

 distinctly through the plumage. (Ridgway.) 

 Length, 8.5 inches. 



Found in maple, dogwood and orchard trees. 



A pity it is that, after a thorough scientific 

 investigation of its habits, this beautiful bird 

 must be condemned. For a long time, it was 

 supposed that sap-sucking was injurious to trees, 

 and the bird was condemned on account of the 

 habit his name indicates. Meanwhile, there 

 were those who denied the fact and affirmed that 

 the bird was wrongly named. At the present 

 time, however, there is little doubt that this 

 species of Woodpecker is truly a sap-sucker, but 

 perhaps not to any great extent. If he were, it 

 would not now be on this account that he would 

 be pronounced an enemy, because taking sap in 

 large quantities, as is done in making maple 

 sugar, does not injure the trees. But the harm 

 which the bird does is twofold : First, he cuts 

 into and eats the inner bark of trees, and, sec- 

 ondly, in making holes for sap, he does it in 

 regular order to-day, and if later he drills new 



