(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Daily Bucket: Friday Sequence, Pileated Woodpecker [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-20 The wood flying every which way is part of the scene as you watch a Pileated Woodpecker search for food. It seems that viewing Pileated Woodpeckers is a feast or famine experience for me and Ms. JG. Recently, we hiked to Promontory Point, the highest point at Magnuson Park in Seattle. We knew the area well from monitoring Cooper’s Hawks the past four years. For some reason, the woodpecker stayed in the same general area, and we were able to follow it for over an hour. At some locations, we were within 7 feet of the woodpecker. It provided the opportunity to take lots of photos and videos. Here’s the best video that shows how the woodpecker hammers away in a very precise way, exposing tunnels that the insects made under the bark. Here are some photos, to be followed by two more videos. At first, the Pileated Woodpecker checked out a log on the ground. It wasn’t shy about reaching deep into a hole it had created. Fun Fact: Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest of 22 woodpecker species in North America — 3 times bigger than the small Downy. (Fact from internet. I remember seeing 2 other species in Panama that were close to the same size) A close look determining the best angle to approach the task at hand, or beak in this case. Checking for danger is always part of the job. Fun Fact: An estimated 2.6 million Pileated Woodpeckers are in the world today, after population declines in the 18th and 19th centuries due to habitat loss. The woodpecker then moved to vertical surfaces. Its claws and tail provided a nice secure tripod. Its long tongue can reach into cracks to remove delicious morsels, if you like insects. see tongue larger A black mustache signifies a female. A male would have a red mustache. The light colored eye is an adult. A young woodpecker would have darker eyes. In flight to the next tree. Notice white feathers on bottom of wing. Fun Fact: Prefers old growth forests with snags that provide home, cafeteria and nursery. Females also have smaller crests. A male’s would go down closer to the beak. The woodpeckers examine the longer cracks in the tree for good areas to work on. Fun Fact: Pileated Woodpeckers rarely use the same nesting hole twice. Wood Ducks and other birds that can’t create holes in trees rely on the woodpecker leaving holes for them. But sometimes there is a battle between the woodpecker and a squirrel. Surprise or aggression. This was both. The woodpecker then made pecking motions at the squirrel, encouraging it to leave. The squirrel stayed put. Fun Fact: The Pileated Woodpecker gets its name from the flashy red crest that covers the pileup (top) of its head. Both male and female have the red crest (pileatus). One way to find a Pileated Woodpecker is by hearing it hammering a tree. Sometimes large chunks of tree are removed. This is part of the sequence showing the large piece of bark falling down, A new large piece of bark is removed. Fun Fact: Most woodpeckers drum at the same rate. The Pileated starts out slowly and then accelerates to 17 beats a second. The duration of beats continues from 10-30 times. The woodpecker moves its head in many directions to find just the right angle to get the insect. A rear view shows the crown and back of head feather pattern. Fun Fact: The animator for Woody the Woodpecker actually got inspiration for the laughing sound from an Acorn Woodpecker. You can read about it on the internet with a search for 10 Fun Facts About the Pileated Woodpecker by an author from the Audubon Magazine, Jenny McKee. Last Fun Fact: PIE-lee-ay-tid or PILL-ee-ay-tid? The former is actually correct (that’s news to me) and both are now commonly accepted in the bird world. A Pileated Woodpecker’s diet is over half carpenter ants, but they also eat nuts and fruits. Now it’s your turn to hammer home a comment with a photo if you choose. Bring on what you’ve been seeing, or hearing, in your neck of the woods. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/20/2199050/-Daily-Bucket-Friday-Sequence-Pileated-Woodpecker?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/