Pileated Woodpecker
We were making breakfast last Sunday in Wolfeboro and a Pileated Woodpecker came right up to the bay window then stayed on a tree 20 feet from the house.
Now we hear woodpeckers in the woods every day, but have not seen this one again. Come to find out, this is the second largest woodpecker in North America. Very cool. |
Pileated woodpeckers are quite impressive to see, but they can do great damage to trees that have insects in them. A pileated can easily "chop" a 2" X 6" wide by 3" deep hole in a tree in an attempt to get to the insects. Trees with multiple pileated woodpecker holes in them seldom survive, but of course those trees are most likely infested with insects anyway so they are in poor health to begin with.
Here's a photo I took of a pileated woodpecker on the ground in our yard a couple years ago. Fortunately he didn't start pecking on any of our trees! :) http://www.echoshores.com/Photos/Pileated_1_Reduced.jpg |
I believe it's now the largest, unless someone has found an Ivory billed somewhere.
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Ghost Bird
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https://video.nationalgeographic.com...r-ivory-billed |
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Here is some Pileated damage.
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If anyone is interested in more about Pileated Woodpeckers click "Search" at the top of a forum page and enter "Pileated". There are at least 12 other threads that mention them with some great pictures.
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Lots of the links to many of my bird images are no longer functioning; as they were hosted on PhotoBucket.
Here is one I took of a Pileated in our yard. They are very skittish birds. https://i.imgur.com/Xg2IHOv.jpg |
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Look at the size of the chips they take!
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We've lost two or three Hemlocks to bark beetles in the past few years. The pileated woodpeckers arrive and will strip the bark completely off an infested tree in a matter of a week or two getting at the beetles. They tap and twist with their head and beak, big chunks come off with what looks like little effort. I tried pulling the bark off by hand and could barely budge it...amazing birds.
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Logging Imperiled the Imperial...
I had an arborist look at a pine tree with a series of 2x6 holes in it. My concern was that the tree was aimed at our roof! :eek2: The arborist was of the opinion that the tree would heal itself, and would not be a danger. (Carpenter ants make up 60% of their diet).
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In Florida, I watched one "working" a rotten branch, which was hanging by a long length of Spanish Moss. Since the big woodpecker had added his weight to the branch, the Spanish Moss slowly parted, and lowered the unsuspecting bird to the ground. I may have seen a rare Red-Faced Woodpecker flying off. ;) . |
A pair of Red-Bellied woodpeckers have been on our feeder this past week. They must be nesting nearby.
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saw one sunday
in trees in lake ridge in meredith.
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It is my understanding that the Pileated Woodpecker can rap its tongue around its brain, yes, inside its skull, to minimize the pressure of the force of the pounding needed to do the damage that they do!
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If you want to do 3rd party hosting of your images it will set you back $400.00 per year. They won't get a dime from me. https://i.imgur.com/W0x1686.jpg |
Pileated Woodpeckers
Pileated Woodpeckers Are highly territorial. When you hear one kncking, grab a stick and hit a tree to mimick another. They almost always come closer to investigate.
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Pileated v. Ivory-billed
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The "possibly extinct" Ivory-billed woodpecker is a bit larger than the Pileated woodpecker- a little taller, a little longer in wingspread. Knowing how cool it is to see a Pleated, how great would it be to see the Ivory!
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