(Dryocopus pileatus)
Easily recognizable by its size and colouring, the Pileated Woodpecker measures up to 50 cm, with a wingspan of up to 75 cm and a weight of up to 350 grams.
The pileated woodpecker is nearly as large as a crow. It has a mostly black body with a large red crest on the head. It has some white stripes on its body, running from the face down to the neck. Its wings are also mostly black with some white linings. Its throat has some white as well.
The pileated woodpecker has a thick silver-gray bill, which it uses to make rectangular holes in trees. Its eyes are yellow, while its legs and feet are grayish black. Male and female birds are similar in appearance. The male, however, has some red stripes on the face, while the female has none. Juvenile birds differ from adults in that they have brown eyes and shorter crests.
Pileated woodpeckers nest in cavities in trees. They prefer to excavate new nest holes each year in a dead tree or branch. Digging up a nest hole can take up to six weeks. The nest of the pileated woodpecker is the cavity they have created. Except for some wood chips, the nest remains unlined. These wood chips come from the dead tree or branch that they made a hole in.
Pileated woodpeckers mate for life. A pair stays together throughout the whole year. They are territorial and tend to stay in their established territory for long periods. During the breeding season, the pileated woodpecker will fiercely defend its territory. However, during the winter, it can tolerate a few birds who are travelling through the territory.
This bird’s diet consists mainly of insects. Although they also eat fruits and nuts. To find their food, they make holes in trees and logs. They also strip off the bark to expose the ants underneath.
I have been able to view this woodpecker for several times on property in Coffee County, Tennessee. I have always seen them in twos…never solitary. They are very welcomed on the property, but, they stay only briefly.