Quote:
Originally Posted by Airedale1
Nice capture! Pileated Woodpecker
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Airedale1 is right, TOW, it's a pileated woodpecker. Unfortunately, although they are very pretty and your photos are good, it's never good to see them pecking on a tree on your property. They are remarkably good at hearing/smelling carpenter ants inside a tree, and they are able to peck huge holes in the tree to get to the bugs.
Usually when you see a pileated woodpecker pecking on a tree it's a definite sign that the tree is not healthy. And the damage they can do to a tree getting at the bugs often represents a death knell for the tree.
If you've ever seen a tree with huge holes poked in it (I've seen some that were 4" high and 6" to 8" wide!), they've most likely been caused by a pileated woodpecker which I believe is the largest woodpecker we have here in NH. Over the years, we've had to have several trees removed after pileated woodpeckers have gone after ants in them.