Male Pileated Woodpecker

[Airedale1]

The Pileated has always been my nemesis bird. You know the one bird that although they do live in your area, you can never seem to get a nice clean shot of one. For those of you who may not be familiar, the Pileated is a very large Woodpecker. This one was about 18" tall. This was in my own yard yesterday. I was raking leaves and I saw him fly high up into a maple tree and then he hopped over to an adjacent dead tree and started pecking away. The angle was steep and there were lots of branches and leaves obscuring a clean shot but I managed to get two decent ones. The Pileated is a very skittish bird and I was lucky to even get as close as I did. Anyways, below are two of the shots I managed.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/Pileated8.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/Pileated7.jpg

[secondcurve]

That second shot is a beauty. Nice work!

[ApS]

The Pileated is a very skittish bird and I was lucky to even get as close as I did.

My family calls them "The-Peek-a-Boo" bird: they have a way of keeping you in sight—while keeping the trunk of a tree between themselves and your view of them.

Unless recent sightings of larger woodpeckers are proven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Woodpecker), the Pileated is North America's largest woodpecker.

I had my own "close encounter" with a Pileated in my back yard. He'd landed on a large rotten branch that was suspended from falling by a vine. His added weight caused the branch to sink slowly to the ground. If birds could get a red face, :o that bird would have one! :laugh:

Long before you see a Pileated, you can hear them. Their call is similar—but much louder—than the Flicker's "wicka-wicka".

BTW, Flickers are everywhere in Wolfeboro right now. Flickers are my "nemesis-bird", as I can't even get close in my car! :emb:

[upthesaukee]

Most woodpeckers, when pecking at a tree, use a rapid peckpeckpeckpeck, while the Pileated is more of a Peck Peck Peck peck peck. Much slower and more deliberate.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

These are the birds that have the call that sounds like a crazy monkey or chimpanzee. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

Did you know that if you knock on the tree when the are close, they will become interested in you? They are highly territorial.

Excellent shots Paul! Wonderful bird, accept when they give your tree the kiss of death. :rolleye2:

[Rusty]

15 seconds into the video this amazing Bird shows up:


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/f_2VrLINP3Y?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[boat_guy64]

I was deer hunting two years ago and one of these landed in a tree in front of me. I don't think it ever saw me as it just pecked away for about 45 minutes. I forgot all about the deer and watched it until it flew away. A really big and pretty bird.

[Lucy Goose]

Nice shot on the second one. I know what you mean about trying to get shots. I have been trying for years and they really are very skiddish.

This is the best one I've ever captured.

[Geneva Point]

I had a pair of them come to visit this summer. I immediately ran to my Bird Book to get the formal name, but I knew it was really Mr. and Mrs. Woody Woodpecker. They are beautiful birds but as noted by others, very skittish. I have no pictures unfortunately.

[SteveA]

These pictures are awesome.. I'd love to be able to capture the eyes like you do on all of your wildlife pictures. Great eyes make great pictures.. Do yo mind sharing the lens and shutter/ISO info, hand held or tripod?

Fabulous pictures Paul... bravo!

[Rusty]

These pictures are awesome.. I'd love to be able to capture the eyes like you do on all of your wildlife pictures. Great eyes make great pictures.. Do yo mind sharing the lens and shutter/ISO info, hand held or tripod?

Fabulous pictures Paul... bravo!

I'll bet the exposure time is at least 1/400 sec. and the focal length is somewhere around 400 mm, and possibly setting on a tripod.

That is a very clear picture taken by a camera with a very expensive lens.

[Sandy Island fan]

We have a pair of pileated woodpeckers on Sandy. I saw them more frequently this summer, and had a few chances to watch them for up to 10 minutes! Usually they are much more elusive - heard but seen fleetingly. I got a few pictures on my phone - I've never come close before - but nothing to compare with these pictures.

[SteveA]

I'll bet the exposure time is at least 1/400 sec. and the focal length is somewhere around 400 mm, and possibly setting on a tripod.

That is a very clear picture taken by a camera with a very expensive lens.

I seem to remember that Paul uses a 6 or 7D Canon and L series lens..

[Rusty]

I seem to remember that Paul uses a 6 or 7D Canon and L series lens..

I think it's a Canon EOS 7D, 18.0 Megapixel, with a Super Telephoto Lens... I think.

[Airedale1]

These pictures are awesome.. I'd love to be able to capture the eyes like you do on all of your wildlife pictures. Great eyes make great pictures.. Do yo mind sharing the lens and shutter/ISO info, hand held or tripod? Fabulous pictures Paul... bravo!

Thanks all. Camera was Canon 7D and EF 400 f/5.6L lens. Taken in Av Mode ISO 400 1/250 sec using the roof of my wife's car for a support.

[ApS]

A Pileated Woodpecker flew overhead yesterday, calling a wiiiCK?—wiiiCK?—wiiiCK?—wiiiCK?

What happened to "Wicka"?

(No "a"-suffix—maybe he's not from around here?) :emb:

Most woodpeckers, when pecking at a tree, use a rapid peckpeckpeckpeck, while the Pileated is more of a Peck Peck Peck peck peck. Much slower and more deliberate.

...and louder.

Another woodpecker common to the area is the Hairy Woodpecker, which makes similar sounds while pecking; however, the Pileated Woodpecker also uses his bill like a prybar, sending big chunks of wood falling down from up high. :eek2: