Pileated Woodpeckers
In the bird world, there are a few birds that really stand out. They stand out so much that even non-bird people seem to be able to identify them or at least have heard about the bird. The Peregrine Falcon is a good example. They may not be able to identify the Peregrine, but they have at least heard of this bird. I believe the Pileated Woodpecker is another of these universally known and perhaps recognized birds.
The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is our largest woodpecker, measuring 16-19 inches in length, or approximately the same size as the American Crow. It is the largest woodpecker in North America and the third largest woodpecker in the world. It is found mainly in deciduous forests in the eastern half of the country from Florida to Maine and westward to the Great Lakes and the boreal forests of Canada. There is a smaller population in the west running down the Pacific coast.
The name “Pileated” is Latin for the word “capped” or “hat”, which describes the red crest on top of their heads on both males and females of the species. The rest of the bird’s body is black with white markings going down the neck. The males have a red mark from the corner of the mouth going back towards the neck resembling a mustache and a red forehead. The female has a black mustache mark and black forehead, so they are easy to tell apart.
The Pileated Woodpecker is non-migratory and stays in their territory as a mated pair for the entire year. Territories are large, ranging from 150 to over 500 acres in size. In areas with fragmented or isolated habitats, such as suburban yards and parks, their territory is smaller, averaging 50-100 acres.
This spring I had a wonderful opportunity to study and capture images of a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers while they nested in a large dead tree. The female often chooses the nest site, but the male does most of the excavating of the nesting chamber. The nest cavity can take anywhere from a week to several months to excavate. Pileated Woodpeckers are well known for starting a nest cavity and then stopping, only to return the following season to finish.
In this case, the pair chose a large dead tree on the edge of a woodland pond. By the time I started watching the nest, they had already finished the cavity, and the female had laid her eggs. On average, they have three to five eggs. Both the male and female incubate the eggs. The male typically incubates at night, and they switch off during the day. Incubation lasts 12-16 days. The young take about 30 days before fledging or leaving the nest. Once the young leave the nest, they don’t return.
The abandoned nest cavity turns into desirable real estate, with many species of forest-dwelling birds depending upon the former woodpecker home. In particular, Wood Ducks, which are cavity-nesting birds, depend upon old Pileated Woodpecker cavities for nesting. In fact, while I was filming the woodpeckers at the cavity, several female Wood Ducks stopped by to check out the cavity, only to be chased away by one of the adult woodpeckers.
One common misconception about baby Pileated Woodpeckers is that they appear smaller and look different from the adults. In fact, the young grow so quickly that by the time they leave the nest cavity, they are not only the same size as the adults but also have the same feather markings and plumage as the adults.
While most of us don’t get to see the Pileated Woodpecker very often, it is still a well-known woodpecker that seems to have its reputation placed well before it. Until next time…
About Stan
Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer who travels extensively to study and photograph wildlife. He can be followed on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and contacted via his website at naturesmart.com.