Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

This feather belongs to a medium-sized woodpecker known for its unique feeding habit of drilling neat rows of holes in tree bark. The bird features a red cap, white wing patches, and a yellowish wash on the belly. It has a distinctive rhythmic tapping and a nasal 'mew' call.

Distinctive black or deep brownish-black base color with bold, crisp white oval spots (windows) along the vanes. The spots align to form stripes across the wing when the bird is in flight.

Mainly pennaceous and tightly interlocked for aerodynamic flight; some plumulaceous (downy) barbs present at the very base near the superior umbilicus.

The rachis is stiff, dark on the dorsal side, and tapers towards the tip. Barbs are densely packed, maintaining a rigid vane surface essential for the woodpecker's powerful undulating flight.

Smooth, stiff, and glossy on the dorsal surface. The leading edge is structurally rigid to withstand air pressure during the downstroke.

Wing; the asymmetry and curvature indicate it is a primary flight feather from the outer portion of the wing.

The bold, contrasting white oval spots on a black background and the specific size/stiffness of a woodpecker primary are diagnostic.

Deciduous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, particularly those with aspen, birch, and maple trees which are preferred for sapwells.

Breeds across Canada and the northern United States (including Wisconsin); winters in the southern US, Mexico, and Central America.

Keystone species; their sapwells provide sugar for many species, and they are primary cavity nesters, providing homes for secondary nesters like chickadees.

Hairy Woodpecker (larger, different spot spacing) and Downy Woodpecker (much smaller feathers). The specific shape and spacing of the white windows are classic Sphyrapicus.

Unlike many woodpeckers, sapsuckers are true migrants. They create 'sapwells' that provide a vital food source for other animals, including hummingbirds and insects.

Historically, woodpecker feathers have been used in indigenous adornments. Today, they are primarily of interest to scientists monitoring forest health.

Look for these in spring and late summer during molt periods, especially near trees showing 'sapwell' damage (horizontal rows of small holes).

Good to Excellent; the barbs are mostly intact with very little edge wear or bleaching, suggesting it was molted recently or came from a healthy individual.

Wisconsin