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YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER  Sphyrapicus varius 19–20.5cm. Long-

winged, winter migrant woodpecker found in highland forest and semi-open

areas with taller trees, hedgerows, gardens. Feeds low to high on trunks and

larger branches, where maintains winter territories; typically rather sluggish and

overlooked easily, but presence often revealed by ‘sapsicles’—neat rows of holes

drilled on trunks to access sap. Distinctive: note big white patch on wing

coverts, white barring on back and wings. Adult male (rarely seen in Costa

Rica) has red throat, female white; some females have black crown, cf. Hairy

Woodpecker. Retains much juv. plumage into winter, and these imms. are the

most frequently encountered plumage in Costa Rica; resembles adult by spring. SOUNDS: Mostly quiet.

Mewing downslurred meeah mainly in interactions. STATUS: Uncommon Nov–Mar, mainly above 1000m;

rare in lowlands, mainly during migration. (Breeds N America, winters s. US to Panama.)

HAIRY WOODPECKER  Dryobates (Picoides) villosus 18–20cm. Medium-size

woodpecker of highland oak forest, cloud forest, adjacent semi-open areas with

taller trees, second growth, gardens. Feeds mainly at mid–upper levels, but

sometimes on ground or fallen logs; joins mixed flocks. No similar species in

Costa Rica (cf. scarce black-crowned female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker), but

looks quite different from larger and whiter North American birds: note broad

white back stripe, dirty buff-brown underparts, head pattern. Juv. (both sexes)

has variable red crown patch. SOUNDS: Sharp chriek! or chik; rapid chattering

rattle, 1–2.5 secs; rhythmic chree’ka chree’ka and varied shrieks in interactions.

Drum rapid and even-paced, drrrr..., about 1 sec. STATUS: Fairly common, from 1500m to timberline. (N

America to w. Panama.)

ACORN WOODPECKER  Melanerpes formicivorus 21–23.5cm. Distinctive,

social, ‘clown-faced’ woodpecker of highland oak forest, adjacent clearings and

pastures with scattered trees, forest patches. Often conspicuous and noisy, in

pairs or small groups, perched on exposed snags, fence posts. Feeds from

ground to canopy and often sallies for flying insects, sailing easily on broad

wings, when big white wing patches conspicuous. Male lacks black forehead

band. SOUNDS: Varied nasal laughing and crowing calls, including rhythmic

yáka yáka...; rolled churring prrreh and krreh’eh. Drum relatively slow-paced,

about 1 sec, often slightly slower at start and end. STATUS: Common to fairly

common, from 1500m to timberline; rarely wanders lower, to about 900m. (N

America to n. Colombia.)