Sapsuckers are the most migratory of all the woodpeckers. They are not known to nest at Woodland Dunes, but are often present during migration. They may nest in more northern parts of the county. Although the belly is not especially yellow, it has a tinge of the color. The males can be identified by the bright red crown and throat patch, underlined by a black crescent.
Females have a red crown but no throat patches.
The young are brown, and like the adults have a distinctive white wing patch. The backs of adults are a mixture of black and white spots. The most controversial feature of the yellow-bellied sapsuckers is whether the holes they make to get sap eventually kill a tree. During migration they can often be seen drilling holes through the bark, in rows around a tree. Sometimes these holes are mere punctures, but have been known to harm trees if they are too close together.