Pileated Woodpecker! And a dead tree…….
Yesterday, Cleon stood at the window and watched a Pileated Woodpecker fly through the birdfeeder cam viewing area twice. It landed on an almost dead tree outside the viewing area for a few minutes, then took off. So when you are watching the live-stream, look for it. You cannot miss it! Unfortunately, these woodpeckers have never come to our feeders, are not regular visitors, but they are here from time to time. More on this almost dead tree near the end of the blog.
And remember, just because Pileated Woodpeckers do not come to our feeders does not
mean they will not come to yours. Large areas of mature woodlands – full of big trees – are prime habitats for Pileated Woodpeckers. If your neighborhood resembles a woodland such as this, then you may be fortunate to have a pair. Pileated Woodpeckers claim and defend about a 100 -1000 acre nesting territory – that is a huge area. And these birds like to fly within big, tall trees, not over open spaces. These two traits are why they are not common neighborhood birds. But as birds never read their entries in field guides, you can always be hopeful you will have one – maybe a pair. What seems to attract these woodpeckers to feeders is suet – and in larger feeders. A Pileated Woodpecker is a big bird – about 17-18″ long and weighs 10 ounces.
We have two pairs of Pileated Woodpeckers living in the vast riparian woodlands across the lake from us – we can hear their loud calls every spring and early summer. But they do not nest on our side of the lake. They also rarely or never forage on our side of the lake except in winter. And it is such a thrill to see them. They are striking in appearance with their bold black and white patterns and fiery, shaggy, red crests. They do have a bit of a boney profile so I think this gives them a prehistoric look. In fact, the first time I saw one, I was walking deep in a beautiful woodland in Lancaster County, PA, and one was flying through the trees – about mid-level. And the first thing that came to my mind was, “What in the world????? That looks like a Pterodactyl!!!!!” Of course it wasn’t – I mean really, Linda, what year is it? But if you have seen pictures of Pterodactyls in textbooks or online and then you see a 
silhouette of a flying Pileated Woodpecker, you may agree that I was not far off the mark! And first impressions of unknown birds are always important as that is often the most obvious trait.
It is not unusual for us to see one or two Pileated Woodpeckers around our house in winter – hammering and drumming on our 
trees – one tree in particular which unfortunately is not in the viewing area. It is one of the native cherry trees from the Prunus Family. These are not long-lived trees and this one was slowly dying before the woodpeckers started on it. Last winter, the Pileated Woodpecker in the top photos used it to practice drilling holes and now the tree is almost dead – I do think the woodpecker hastened its demise. These photos here are of the tree the Pileated in the earlier photos was hammering last year – I took these photos this morning. The photo on the left shows several practice holes.
Pileateds are well known for excavating practice holes. Notice they are oblong. Many woodpecker holes are more circular or slightly oval. You can always identify a hole that has been excavated by a Pileated Woodpecker as it is large and oblong – sometimes almost rectangular. The photo on the right is that same tree – it has a double trunk as you can see from this angle. Notice there is now very little bark. The Pileated Woodpeckers did that also – they stripped off large chunks of bark looking for beetles. And they were helped by Red-bellied, Hairy, and Downy Woodpeckers – you can see these three as they are daily visitors at the suet feeders. As you can see, this tree is now almost dead. This cherry is often one of the first trees to sprout after soil disturbance either from construction or fire. It will eventually give way to many species of oak and hickory which are the dominant trees here. So this tree did not come to an early death – it was its time. And once it started declining, it was a haven for beetles which drew the woodpeckers – and this is exactly how nature is supposed to work.
We have about an acre here at our house and we have large trees so we are screened from most of the neighborhood. We have allowed this cherry tree to decline and we will let it stand long after it is dead. Woodpeckers love dead trees as do many other birds, animals, and insects. It is not in a place where it will harm anything if it would get blown over in a storm, and it is not an eyesore because only we can see it – and for us a dead tree is not an eyesore, but an opportunity to see and experience something different. So if you have a dead or dying tree, consider letting it stand. Some neighborhoods have rules, regulations, or laws, but if it is not a safety hazard, consider not cutting it down. And if it is unsightly, consider trimming the branches to give it more shape – like a big sculpture. You can even use it as support for vines or to hang mobiles and potted plants. You might be surprised at all the creatures who will use it. And if you turn it into a piece of art – a giant sculpture – you might be surprised at how much you and your neighbors will like it.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you! I am taking a week off from this blog. I am planning some changes to the website in January – additions – which I hope you will all explore and use – and enjoy. So till January, be well, be safe, and Happy Birding! Linda