Pileated woodpecker

[mar13]

Pileated woodpecks, I believe, are important in our local native American tribes. Here are a few images of the crests of the birds being used in decorations
Brush dance and more
(broken link removed to https://americanindian.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/NMAI-DC-Self-Guide-7-12.pdf)

People may be tempted to judge the killing of woodpeckers for ornaments, but we have to remember nature was more plentiful then and I would imagine the birds became food too.

 

[PaulOinMA]

These were the two on the large pine. Spiral up together. Touch beaks. Spiral down. Touch beaks. Spiral together up. And so on for twenty minutes. Took 50 pictures of them.

Second picture shows where the tree is in the woods by the pond. Third picture is in the process of touching beaks. Absolutely fascinating to watch them work together.

 

[peakbagger]

If in doubt tis mating ritual. Are they noisy prior to this behaviour?

 

[MoDoug]

These were the two on the large pine. Spiral up together. Touch beaks. Spiral down. Touch beaks. Spiral together up. And so on for twenty minutes. Took 50 pictures of them.

Second picture shows where the tree is in the woods by the pond. Third picture is in the process of touching beaks. Absolutely fascinating to watch them work together.

Love is in the air!

 

[MoDoug]

Pileated woodpecks, I believe, are important in our local native American tribes. Here are a few images of the crests of the birds being used in decorations
Brush dance and more
(broken link removed to https://americanindian.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/NMAI-DC-Self-Guide-7-12.pdf)

People may be tempted to judge the killing of woodpeckers for ornaments, but we have to remember nature was more plentiful then and I would imagine the birds became food too.

They're protected under the migratory bird act, but native Americans have special exemptions on things like that.

 

[Eureka]

The pileated peckers at our place like to eat suet. It’s interesting watching them hang from the feeder and try to get their big schnoz in the mesh. They take a few practice pecks on the deck posts sometimes and it sounds like the house is getting shot up.

 

[PaulOinMA]

You're right. It was mating. It was spring. Didn't hear anything. They really were smitten with each other.

Pileated Woodpecker | Outdoors | apg-wi.com (apg-wi.com)

"“They hopped up and down the trunk, frequently pecking at each other's bills simultaneously, now on one side of the tree, now on the other…they hopped backward and downward a great deal ..."

 

[peakbagger]

BTW, the possibly extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker that inhabited the wetlands down south every so often makes the news that it may not be distinct and apparently the thought are the signs are actually Pileated woodpeckers. The Ivory Billed woodpeckers were larger.

 

[EbS-P]

Just walked outside and heard one for what seems like the first time in a few weeks. Maybe I was just paying better attention.

 

[baseroom]

my favorite birds!

 

[Sawset]

In WI, I see none in the southern part of the state, but do in the central and northern parts. Mostly they tear into decayed parts of trees and leave scattered chips of "soft" wood on the ground. That's my limited experience anyway. Only see them when I travel to those areas. Those I know who try to photograph them seem to have a hard time, in that they are good at staying out of range if people are rummaging around "hiking" nearby.

 

[kennyp2339]

We have a number of them here in NJ, life is good for them atm, there loving the ash tree's right now

 

[NickW]

In WI, I see none in the southern part of the state, but do in the central and northern parts. Mostly they tear into decayed parts of trees and leave scattered chips of "soft" wood on the ground. That's my limited experience anyway. Only see them when I travel to those areas. Those I know who try to photograph them seem to have a hard time, in that they are good at staying out of range if people are rummaging around "hiking" nearby.

I see them hunting in the Kettle Moraine in SE WI.

 

[MoDoug]

Those I know who try to photograph them seem to have a hard time, in that they are good at staying out of range if people are rummaging around "hiking" nearby.

That's been my experience also, the video I posted was taken through our window screen, so it isn't the best quality.

 

[Sawset]

Absolutely fascinating to watch them work together.

Aha. They're twitterpating.
Like watching ducks "fighting".

 

[Country Living in VA]

The pileated woodpecker is one of my least favorite birds for several reasons. The noise they make when they squawk is annoying and loud. When I turkey hunt in the spring, when they scream out, it usually will trigger a gobble if they are around. Second reason I dislike them is the damage they can do. Several years back, several buildings including a log cabin we had on the property I was looking after received heavy damage on most of the facia boards after the varmit's pecked massive holes in them. I do like most other woodpeckers though-I have two suet feeders next to my house and have several smaller varieties that are regulars. A Hairy Woodpecker accidently flew into my door window last week and I thought it was a goner after watching it struggle to get upright for a few minutes. I tried to pick it up to move it out in the yard and it flew into a block wall, then into another gate and eventually it was able to fly off into a tree.