How do the structures left by the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker contrast with ragged excavations from a pileated woodpecker?

They are meticulously drilled rows or patches of small, shallow, round holes.

The feeding results left by the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker are noted for their remarkable neatness, standing in stark contrast to the often ragged and deep excavations characteristic of woodpeckers like the pileated species searching for insect meals. The Sapsucker drills small, shallow, round holes, typically ranging between one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch in diameter. Furthermore, the bird is not haphazard in its work; it seems to create an organized 'sugar map' by aligning these holes horizontally or vertically, sometimes forming distinct, organized patterns ringing the trunk or branch to maximize sap collection.