Pileated woodpecker – up close and personal
Hope Rupp sent me these photos of a female Pileated Woodpecker – these were taken near Harrisburg, PA. She also sent videos – click on Videos in the website menu to view all 3. She told me this woodpecker has been at her boss’s window every spring for 3 years and does rap on the window from time to time. What a treat! I so envy Hope. And I cannot imagine how anyone in her office gets any work done this time of year. I would have my nose pressed to that window all spring!
I saw my first Pileated Woodpecker when I was living in the woods of southeastern PA. What a sight! In flight, this is a big, dark impressive bird that also looks a bit boney. And that fiery red crest and flashing black and white pattern of the wings is eye-catching. It also has a loud call. Listen online – it is easily remembered. It can sound like a Northern Flicker – another woodpecker – but the Northern Flicker’s call is often almost twice as long in duration. The Pileated’s is generally about 5-7 syllables: kakakakakakaka kakakakakakaka kakakakakakaka
The Pileated Woodpecker is a big bird – about the size of a crow. So you would think this woodpecker would always be easy to spot in the woods. Not so! This bird has the uncanny knack of not only being on the opposite side of the tree trunk from where you are, but also can disappear in a nanosecond – like it has a secret backdoor. With that fiery red crest, you would think it would be impossible for this bird to hide, but you would be wrong. The Pileated is as skillful at blending in and disappearing as the smallest drabbest sparrow. I continue to wonder about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker – similar in appearance and even larger. Whose habitat was/is the deepest swamps of our southern states. Is it really extinct? Or just hiding? And where it would live has very few people and the people there are independent and thrive alone. If any of them saw an Ivory-billed, my guess is they would never say a word to anyone – especially someone they did not know. Once you see a Pileated Woodpecker in the woods and watch how fast it disappears into thin air, you may wonder also – is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker really extinct? Or has it just outwitted us all?
Use the Public Forum to share with all of us your experiences and sightings of the majestic, spectacular Pileated Woodpeckers!
If you are having problems with any birds pecking on your windows, siding, car side-view mirrors, or even hubcaps – and driving you crazy – please go to this website’s menu and click on Living with Birds as Neighbors. In this article I wrote are suggestions as to discourage not just woodpeckers but all birds – especially robins and cardinals. I have tried many of the suggestions and they work. You just have to be patient. And always keep your sense of humor.