Dryocopus pileatus
Copyright, Chandler S. Robbins
This large woodpecker is
the same size as a crow, reaching about 15 inches long. Its
body is black and white, and it has a large red crest on its
head. The Pileated Woodpecker
lives in open forests,
usually where there are a lot of pine trees. In Virginia,
these birds usually nest in White Pine, Hickory, Yellow
Poplar, Maple, Sycamore, Red Oak, White Oak, Chestnut, or
Sweetgum trees. Woodpeckers usually
create holes in already-hollow trees. These trees are
usually weakened by fungus.
They will make up to 16 holes in each tree to allow escape
routes should a predator
enter the tree. Pileated Woodpeckers
often live in groups and share up to 30 trees with
cavities
(holes). Some cavities will be under construction, some will
be in use, and some will be abandoned. Woodpeckers will peck the
bark
around the entrance holes to make the sap
run from the tree. This will keep some predators, such as
snakes, from entering. The Pileated Woodpecker's
diet
consists mostly of insects found under the bark, or on
branches, of pine trees. They especially like to eat
Carpenter Ants, and the woodpeckers will reach their long,
sticky tongues into the hole to get to the food.
Copyright, R. W. Scott, Birds in Flight
Other foods include
acorns
and fruits. Pileated Woodpeckers lay
two to four white eggs, and the young are raised by both
parents. Their greatest enemies are snakes, which eat eggs
and like to live in woodpecker holes. Pileated Woodpeckers were
removed from the endangered species list.
Huntley Meadows
Park
