Habitat: This Woodpecker species live in northern deciduous and mixed coniferous forests in the summer. During winter they live in forests and various semi-open habitats such as clearings, in the highlands. Distribution: This bird is migratory. It breeds in North America and migrate south to Honduras and the Greater Antilles, with a small number of birds coming to Panama and the Lesser Antilles. Natural History Notes: The Yellow-bellied Woodpecker is not a common winter visitant in Panama. Like other sapsuckers, this bird drill holes in trees and eat the sap and insects drawn to it. It may also pick insects from tree trunks or catch them in flight. It also eats fruit and berries. Conservation status according to IUCN 2008 Red list: Least Concern (LC). Characteristics: The total length of this species varies between 17.8 cm and 20.3 cm (measured from tip of bill to end of tail). The bill is pointed and blackish and the iris is black. The male has a plumage mostly black above with a white rump and white stripes on the back. The wings show long white stripes. Then, the crown and the nape are brilliant red and we can distinguish a broad white stripe behind the eye and starting at the base of the bill. The troat is red and there is a red patch on the chest. The underparts are yellow-white with dark gray stripes on the sides of the body. The female looks similar but the throat is white and the crown in mostly black.