The beautiful Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America. Its loud unmistakable call clearly announces its presence in forests and backyards across the continent. 
Identification: The Pileated is mostly black with a prominent red crest. The face is marked with white stripes that extend down the neck. Both sexes have the black coloring and red crest. The male is identified by a red whisker and forehead.
Behavior: The Pileated will take food from branches, tree trunks, and logs. They can often be observed foraging low on tree trunks. And on fallen logs drilling into the wood with pieces of bark flying in all directions in an almost chain saw effect.
Habitat: Look for Pileated Woodpeckers in deciduous or coniferous forests with large trees.
Diet: The Pileated Woodpeckers diet consists mainly of insects. Among their favorites is the carpenter ant and wood boring beetle larvae. In cooler months their diet switches to fruits and nuts.
Nesting: Pileated Woodpeckers raise their young in a hole in a tree. In April the hole made by the male attracts the female. Once the brood is raised the Pileated will not use the hole again. A new hole is made for each brood. The nest is lined only with wood chips. Both parents incubate 3-5 eggs. Incubation is 15-16 days. The young can take up to a month to fledge.
Interesting Fact: Abandoned woodpecker holes provide good homes and shelter for many forest songbirds. Ecologically woodpecker families are important to the well being of many other bird species.
Backyard Tips: Pileated Woodpeckers seem to have a fairly large range. I have seen as many as three in my yard at one time. I have two suet baskets in my yard. One is significantly larger than the other. That’s the one they seem to prefer. Even though the suet basket is almost always filled they don’t stick around for long. Sometimes I won’t hear or see them again for several weeks. If you have Pileated Woodpeckers in your area try hanging a large suet basket. With some luck you might attract them to your yard. Even short infrequent visits by this beautiful woodpecker is worth the effort.
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