Pileated Woodpecker

[Glade Runner]

Had the privilege of seeing my first Pileated Woodpecker today. What an impressive bird! They really do hammer the trees, lots of chips flying all over the place. Very colorful and an interesting call as well. Since they seem to require several thousand acres per pair I don't guess there are a whole lot of them around.

[where I want to]

Maybe I keep seeing the same one but they are not unusual here. They seasonally visit the same standing redwood snags. And they come through to eat the huckleberries growing on the snags too.

Pretty common here in WV also . Saw one on a tree in my front yard just a couple days ago .

[1shotwade]

Those going thru the depression used them for food. They called them "woods hens". I still see plenty around.

Wade

[Wanda]

I think you are confusing them with another type of woodpecker. They are fairly common in my area and would have several within a thousand acres. They look almost prehistoric to me.

[jacqueg]

On my list of memorable experiences is watching an adult pair work over a down log. They kind of throw their heads, much like a person using a hammer.

[farmerDale]

Lots around here. They need old growth forests. I have several pairs on my land in various places, none of which exceeds 160 acres of woods, most woodlands on my farm are between 10 and 60 acres, and they still live there.

[EDDIE BUCK]

It didn't have an ivory colored bill did it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory-billed_Woodpecker

[7thswan]

We have them up at our cabin in the Tawas Mich. area. It has been many years sinse I saw one.We also used to have flying squirrls. I did see one P.woodpecker on our old farm in Oakland Co. about 20 years ago. Yes, both old growth.

I once had a cabin in the woods . We had a bird feeder on the railing of the front deck that we put black oil sunflower seeds in when we were up there . There was sliding glass doors out to the deck . At night the feeder & deck was polluted with flying squirrels . We had a ball watching them .
I later read that they were on the endangered species list .

[Tiempo]

I've always wanted to see one, never have.. not for lack of trying.

Swan, we get flying squirrels in our big hickory in our back yard here in Ingham County

[davel745]

we have them here too

[homstdr74]

Many of them here in South Central Missouri. They're mostly reclusive, but one of the most memorable moments of homesteading happened one cold winter day when, with snow on the ground, I had felled and was sectioning up for firewood a large blackjack oak that had been hollowed by black ants. As I split the rounds into fireplace sized wood, a large pileated woodpecker came out of the surrounding trees and followed me, eating the frozen ants as they had spilled out of the split logs. He kept his distance, but was clearly appreciative of the dinner.

[willow_girl]

I used to hear them all the time before DBF cut down all the dead trees along my driveway!

I did spot one just the other day, though, working on the top of a wild cherry tree.

They're neat birds.

[MushCreek]

We had them in the dense suburbs we lived in in FL. Pretty common to see them there. I've seen one out in the woods here in SC.

[JJ Grandits]

I've got one that is working on the big dead poplar on the edge of the property. Saw the holes, heard the call but have not seen him yet. Started seeing them about ten years ago. A magnificient bird.

[Glade Runner]

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

It didn't have an ivory colored bill did it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory-billed_Woodpecker

Hah, I wish. I actually looked at a picture and they are a whole lot different.

[Glade Runner]

Originally Posted by jacqueg

On my list of memorable experiences is watching an adult pair work over a down log. They kind of throw their heads, much like a person using a hammer.

Yes, it looked like a five or six inch stroke to me. Lots of power in it as well.

[chickenista]

Our yard is a strange place in the winter months.
The only birds we have are woodpeckers and bluebirds.

We get the little short, fat red headed woodpeckers, the medium sized ones and the pileated woodpeckers.

The yard is a noisy, noisy place.
I have no idea where they live all of the other seasons, but in the winter..they are ALL here. I was just out soaking up some sun and saw about 15 of the things just in the front yard.
It's weird.

[Badger]

We have several here- See them everyday - I always said they were the noisiest bird on the planet.