Pilated Woodpecker

[nybirdman]

Caught this fellow in the back yard.A good 15 inches long.Feb.26,2012

 

[TMR]

Caught this fellow in the back yard.A good 15 inches long.Feb.26,2012

Good picture...we see one on our property once or twice a year. Once found one in our chimney "clean out" at the base...obviously dead. They sure are pretty birds! TMR

 

[CTPhil]

Nice picture. I don't see them often but hear them almost daily. An impressive bird.

 

[creekbend]

Nice picture. :thumbsup:

 

[Travelover]

Pileated woodpeckers are awesome to behold. They have just started to move into my area in SE Michigan. I've seen a few pairs and the huge oval holes that they leave in trees is unmistakeable.

 

[k0ua]

Pileated woodpeckers are awesome to behold. They have just started to move into my area in SE Michigan. I've seen a few pairs and the huge oval holes that they leave in trees is unmistakeable.

yeah,, see and hear them everyday here. They come to the suet feeders the mother in law puts out.. and yes the those distinctive holes they make near the tops of the power poles is unmistakable also.
Several of the poles near my house have them.

James K0UA

 

[Travelover]

yeah,, ........ yes the those distinctive holes they make near the tops of the power poles is unmistakable also.
............

James K0UA

:laughing: That's what they do. They're WOODpeckers.

 

[k0ua]

:laughing: That's what they do. They're WOODpeckers.

Durn peckerwoods. They are magnificent to look at but I worry about the damage they do to the power poles. And in the springtime when they "drum" on the metal parts on buildings it sounds like a .50 cal machine gun.

James K0UA

 

[rekees4300]

Caught this fellow in the back yard.A good 15 inches long.Feb.26,2012

:thumbsup: Nice picture...must have been hard to take since they are very wary fellows. We have 3 that regularly visit out suet feeders.

 

[nybirdman]

:thumbsup: Nice picture...must have been hard to take since they are very wary fellows. We have 3 that regularly visit out suet feeders.

Yes they are,just happened to see him out the window...first time this year.
I had my camera maxed out on telephoto.

 

[grnspot110]

Nice shot!!!

We don't have many in north MO, but I do occasionally see one at the farm (maybe once every 2-3 years). ~~ grnspot

 

[Samandothers]

We have seen them on the land in Va mountains. Beautiful birds.

 

[TMR]

:thumbsup: Nice picture...must have been hard to take since they are very wary fellows. We have 3 that regularly visit out suet feeders.

We have suet feeder and Hairy and Downy woodpeckers...but the Pileated, while around, do not come to the suet feeder. Ours hangs from the overhang just outside our kitchen window. Does not seem to bother the Downy or Hairy but maybe the Pileated wants the suet a bit farther from the house?

How far away from your house is your suet feeder?

Sure would like to see them more ofter...TMR

 

[TMR]

:thumbsup: Nice picture...must have been hard to take since they are very wary fellows. We have 3 that regularly visit out suet feeders.

We have suet feeder and Hairy and Downy woodpeckers...but the Pileated, while around, do not come to the suet feeder. Ours hangs from the overhang just outside our kitchen window. Does not seem to bother the Downy or Hairy but maybe the Pileated wants the suet a bit farther from the house?

How far away from your house is your suet feeder?

Sure would like to see them more often...TMR

 

[tcreeley]

Hairy wood peckers will drum on the transformers and tin along my house. The pileated tend to stick with the woods and larger trees. I remember as a kid chasing across our pasture in the fall to get a close look as one flew from apple tree to apple tree. Sometimes in the spring I will confuse their call with the flicker. Seems like I have to reset the call by seeing the bird make it with those two! Then I'm good for the summer. The flickers are gone by Nov- makes life simple!

 

[gengine]

Nice pic! I have only seen a couple pilated woodpeckers here in wyoming. Lately I've had three northern flickers pounding on the cedar siding of the house over the last few weeks. I just keep chaseing them off, hoping they'll get the hint. I'm not too worried about the siding, it's all coming off this summer anyway. I'll have to try to get a picture.

 

[EddieWalker]

Congrats!!!! I have them here, but haven't been able to get a good pic of one. The smaller wood peckers seem to be easier, but then never stay still and they fly off when I get too close.

Eddie

 

[Ron JD670]

.. and yes the those distinctive holes they make near the tops of the power poles is unmistakable also.
Several of the poles near my house have them.

James K0UA

Great pics. They are big but still seem hard to find. I hear them a couple times a year (S. OR) , but only have seen one once. scared the heck out if me when I was walking to the barn. Seemed to enjoy it Alternated looking at me and pounding on the tree.

I'm pretty sure they're not putting the holes in the poles for fun. Poles probably have bugs and it is looking for dinner. But they do make a racket.

 

[k0ua]

Great pics. They are big but still seem hard to find. I hear them a couple times a year (S. OR) , but only have seen one once. scared the heck out if me when I was walking to the barn. Seemed to enjoy it Alternated looking at me and pounding on the tree.

I'm pretty sure they're not putting the holes in the poles for fun. Poles probably have bugs and it is looking for dinner. But they do make a racket.

I think they are just nesting holes, I can't imagine bugs in the cresote treated poles.. Of course they are way up high near the transformers where the creasote has run out long ago and gathered near the bottom of the pole.

James K0UA

 

[rekees4300]

How far away from your house is your suet feeder?

Our 3 feeders are 100 feet from the house attached to trees. Even at that distance the Pileated will flee if they see any movement in the house through the window. Unlikely you will ever see one on your kitchen window feeder.