What's chipping up this tree?

[homeinwestIL]

While walking in my woods a couple months ago, I came across this tree that had been chipped away considerably to about 8 feet up its trunk. I am attaching pictures. There was a pile of chips on the ground. My guess is that woodpeckers have been going at it, and particularly the large pileated woodpeckers. I have seen them produce wood chips this big but not in this quantity. Before I've just seen them drill oval holes in trees. This was a dead tree and perhaps it had some tasty bugs or worms in its wood that attracted this attack. I don't get down into this area very often so I'm not sure how long this has been going on, but the pile of chips looks pretty fresh.

 

[robstaples]

Borrow a trail cam, if it's a pileated, it should trip the camera.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I watched wood peckers go after a dead alder 10" in diameter. In 2 weeks time the alder was on the ground.

Ron

 

[MinnesotaEric]

While walking in my woods a couple months ago, I came across this tree that had been chipped away considerably to about 8 feet up its trunk. I am attaching pictures. There was a pile of chips on the ground. My guess is that woodpeckers have been going at it, and particularly the large pileated woodpeckers. I have seen them produce wood chips this big but not in this quantity. Before I've just seen them drill oval holes in trees. This was a dead tree and perhaps it had some tasty bugs or worms in its wood that attracted this attack. I don't get down into this area very often so I'm not sure how long this has been going on, but the pile of chips looks pretty fresh.

My guess.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't know but I had to do a double take at those green plants at the bottom of the first picture....

 

[Brad_Blazer]

First come the bugs, then the woodpeckers start digging for them.

 

[JRobyn]

Raccoons and possums will also chew through a considerable amount of wood to get to bug larvae. They have made a mess of some pressure treated posts on my place digging out carpenter bee larvae. Not sure about possums, but raccoons can easily climb.

- Jay

 

[McREBEL]

I don't know but I had to do a double take at those green plants at the bottom of the first picture....

What?....I see nothing but weed(s).

 

[smstonypoint]

What?....I see nothing but weed(s).

I suspect that he thought that he was seeing young "wacky tobaccy" plants.

Steve

 

[Thomas]

Good chance woodpecker started it and contiuning along w/other critters...can you put game cam to catch whats doing it?