Beautiful and unusual Woodpecker (1 Viewer)

[Stephie]

I need help identifying this beautiful woodpecker. We have never seen this bird before though we have been feeding and watching woodpeckers for eighteen years at this location. (I live in central Arkansas.) This bird does not appear in any of the three bird identification books I own either.

The bird arrived in a typical mixed flock of Downy Woodpeckers, Chicadees, Nuthatches, etc. While all the other birds were eating seeds this woodpecker remained on one tree pecking at a height of eighteen inches to two feet off the ground. He would drop onto the ground occasionally but did not seem to be eating the seeds. He is larger than the Downy Woodpecker by about two inches.

Thank you very much for any help you can give me.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Stephie and welcome to Bird Forum from all the Staff and Moderators

I'm sorry I can't help with the indentification, but I'm sure there'll be someone along soon who can.

D

 

[colonelboris]

If I had to guess, I'd suggest a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
I wouldn't trust me on that...

 

[cuckooroller]

It is. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

 

[TupeloN8]

Yes, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. A winter resident in your part of the world.

 

[JANJ]

H Stephie.

Your bird is indeed a male Yellow-billied Sapsucker. Watch here:

http://www.roysephotos.com/YellowBelliedSapsucker.html

and for the similar Red-naped Sapsucker:

http://sdakotabirds.com/species/red_naped_sapsucker_info.htm


JanJ

 

[Dave B Smith]

Hi Stephie,
And another welcome to the Birdforum, and another vote for Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

 

[timeshadowed]

Welcome to BirdForum, Stephie! Please feel free to join us in our discussions here at BF.

 

[Stephie]

Thank you everybody for your quick response. Those pictures definitely identify it, JANJ. I was familiar with the name, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, but had no idea what it looked like. And it is definitely not in my books. Looks like I need a new one.

Thanks again to all!