What identifying sign suggests a sapsucker is responsible for drilling holes on a birch or aspen tree?

Small, vertical rows of shallow holes drilled in neat patterns

Identifying the specific species of woodpecker present can often be achieved by closely examining the appearance and pattern of the holes they create on trees. While larger species like the Pileated Woodpecker leave behind large, rectangular excavations indicative of deep wood excavation, sapsuckers exhibit a much finer drilling technique. When observing trees like birch or aspen, the signature mark of a sapsucker involves creating multiple, closely spaced, shallow holes. These holes are often arranged in vertical rows or neat, organized patterns around the circumference of the trunk or branch. This drilling pattern is functional, as the bird feeds on the sap that wells up from these wounds, distinguishing their activity entirely from that of excavators or drummers.