Megan's Nature Nook
Nature Notes, Phenology, Photography, Fun Facts, Trips, Maybe Even a Bad Joke or Two... and More!
Happy National Bird Day! January 5 marks the day to celebrate our feathered friends both wild and captive. To help you celebrate I’m going to share some fun facts about the Pileated Woodpecker! Each year the American Birding Association (ABA) chooses a “Bird of the Year” and for 2021 it is the Pileated Woodpecker! “The ABA is proud that the Pileated Woodpecker, emblem of both the wild woods and the adaptability of birds to anthropogenically altered spaces, is our 2021 Bird of the Year.” – American Birding Association Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) are the largest species of woodpecker in North America (except the almost certainly extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker). They are over a foot tall (15.8 – 19.3 inches) with a wingspan of over two feet (26 – 29.5 inches)! They are mostly black with white on their underwings that can be seen in flight. White stripes adorn their faces, topped off with a flaming-red crest at the top of their head. Both males and females have the red crest, but you can tell the two apart by their “mustaches.” Males have a red mustache, while the female has a black mustache. Pileated Woodpeckers are found in mature deciduous, coniferous, or mixed forests. They need standing dead trees and downed wood to find their food in and nest in. They may also be seen in young forests and even some partially wooded suburbs or backyards. Pileated Woodpeckers can be found year-round in the Eastern United States, up into Canada, and along the northwestern coast of the U.S. They are uncommon as a result of only one pair occupying a large territory at a time. Carpenter ants are the primary food source for Pileated Woodpeckers. Other ants, termites, flies, caterpillars, cockroaches, grasshoppers, and beetle larvae will also be eaten. Large rectangular holes which can be a foot or more long are a sure sign a Pileated Woodpecker has been around. They make these holes looking for carpenter ant tunnels and other insects. Fruit, acorns, nuts, and occasionally sap are also part of their diet. If you have bird seeds and suet at your feeders, you may be lucky enough to have one of these giant woodpeckers visit you! Mature forests are important to Pileated Woodpeckers not only as a food source, but also for nest sites. Pileated Woodpeckers are cavity nesters who excavate their own nest cavity. The male starts the excavation and the female helps near the end of excavation. Nest construction can take 3 – 6 weeks and are rarely used again by the Pileated Woodpeckers but may be used by other bird species or animals. The entrance hole to their nest cavity is oblong, which is different than the typical round shape of most birds’. The depth of the cavity ranges from 10 – 24 inches and is lined with some leftover woodchips. The rest of the woodchips from the excavation are tossed out of the cavity by the adult picking up a few at a time in their beak and tossing it out the entrance hole. Pileated Woodpeckers have 1 brood a year, with 3-5 eggs. To find Pileated Woodpeckers in your area, look for large rectangular excavations in trees surrounded by woodchips. Listen for their whinny call of wuk-wuk-wuk-wuk and loud, deep drumming. Click on the button below to hear their sounds. Fun Facts
These big birds have always been captivating, causing me to run (stealthily) to the window whenever someone says they’ve spotted one. Not only are they fascinating because of their looks, but also because of their interesting traits and habits! I was lucky enough to add a Pileate Woodpecker to my Big Year list on January 1, which I think is a great way to start the year, especially when it’s the Pileated Woodpecker’s big year, too!
2 Comments
Lonnie
1/5/2021 09:04:05 pm
Great Blog, Meg! Scoop there it is!!!!!!
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Mary
1/6/2021 08:01:44 am
It’s fun to watch the pair that lives in our backyard. I was wondering how to tell the male from the female - now I know! Thanks.
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