Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Pileated Woodpecker

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

 Lately, I have been seeing the Pileated Woodpeckers flying across my yard and landing on the trees across from my driveway.  The are fun to hear knocking on the trees and to hear their loud calls. 



This is a male Pileated Woodpecker, because the malar is red. The females have a black malar. They are large in size abut 17 inches in length and a 29 inch wingspan.


The Pileated Woodpecker is commonly seen in the woods and watershed property next to my house. I see and hear them often while walking on the fireroads.



I think they love putting holes into the trees, at least the trees and holes are not on our property. They do look for termites and other bugs to eat while drilling their holes. It is funny how some of their holes are square or rectangle in shape and not round.




I was hoping someday to see them or their babies peeking out of one of the many trees. I hope you enjoyed my post and thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your comments too!

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

60 comments:

  1. gorgeous bird. i have one in our backyard but i can not get him in my photos. too quick. so awesome to watch. you must have a quick hand to get him or more patient that me (or is it I?) any ways. neat shots. ( :

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  2. Great photos and beautiful birds. They are big!

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  3. That's some yard bird! Lucky girl. Wonderful photos and post.

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  4. Hallo Eileen!!Very beautiful post!!I love Woodpeckers!!Wonderful pictures and great shots!Amazing holes in the tree!!Thank you for sharing!Hope you have a lovely week!
    Dimi..

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  5. Aren't they amazing???
    I love ours!

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  6. Eileen, I just love pileated woodpeckers and use to have them as yard birds when I lived in Maine! Sadly, we do not see them here in AZ, but we have plenty of other wonderful birds. Very Nice photos of one of my favorite birds!

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  7. Great photos, perfect for the theme!

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  8. i caught one in our oak tree the other day. love these!

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  9. Hi Eileen, great shots of this woodpecker, love the red bit on his head, gee I have never seen a woodpecker before, thanks for sharing.

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  10. It would be great to see the babies, but I am happy to see them at any stage. And even happy to hear them in the morning...they make a great alarm clock.

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  11. how lovely Eileen; fabulous photos. Bigger than I thought and amazing holes they make? They are digging for insects/grubs from the tree?

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  12. You're fortunate to have seen it. It's one of the largest woodpeckers around. Beautiful!

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  13. What a great spotting, Eileen! This bird has been on my "dream list" for some time. I can hear them often, but can never spot them. I didn't realize how large they are until a fellow birder gave me the dimensions. Wonderful shots.

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  14. Hi Eileen, I will check out my woodpecker photos. The holes on the trees are big, but the ones I saw were small and were working on the telephone pole. Its a learning experience.

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  15. Amazing bird Eileen,
    I don't really see these in my area as there is not really enough forest for them, but I do see them while traveling on occasion. Hope they nest nearby! -DM

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  16. Oh wow, fabulous shots! I have only seen a Pileated once and didn't get a shot!

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  17. Gorgeous! I love these birds. So smart and so good.

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  18. That would be nice to see the baby Pileated woodpeckers. I've never seen the young ones just out of the nest. It must be a treat to have them near your house and great photos of them too!

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  19. Oh beautiful..I don't see them often here..lovely post.. thank you for all the support Eileen.. hugs.. Michelle

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  20. Wow, they make some pretty big holes.

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  21. I've never seen them do that to a tree!! He's really working away on that tree!

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  22. Great shots. They are beautiful birds with their red head.

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  23. Wonderful photographs of a gorgeous woodpecker!
    Love the shot of the freshly drilled holes!

    -Wally

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  24. We get them here too, I don't know why but I really like these birds.

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  25. I like seeing the Pileated Woodpecker . . . However when they started pounding holes into the Cedar on our house we weren't as happy. Knock on wood, (pardon the pun) so they seem to have stayed away this year!

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  26. I love Pileated Woodpeckers. They are so funny when they come to our feeders---trying to 'fit'..... Love watching them.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  27. What a handsome fella you have there! They do make some unique holes, don't they. Pileated Woodpeckers are my Spark bird. I've been hearing them around here lately, but have yet to see one.

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  28. I'm lucky to have these around the wooded area behind my home and hear them quite often here lately.
    I got some really good shots last year but not sure I want them to come as close. A female bored a huge whole in our deck. :(
    Great shots Eileen!

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  29. Wonderful series of shots! I'd love to see one of these. They certainly do a number on the trees, don't they? I can see why you are glad they're not on your property.

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  30. They are fascinating bird we don't have any here. They look like they are wearing a cyclist's crash helmet. Why to they make holes? Is it to find bugs to eat or to lay eggs in.

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  31. What strong bills they have.
    I hope it found some worms there.

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  32. Nice post, and interesting to see the unfinished holes... I wonder if they sense that they are digging in the wrong place and start again?

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  33. Beautiful bird!
    Most of the woodpeckers we see here are the Red-Bellied. Hoping one day to attract the Pileated to our suet feeders.
    Have a wonderful week!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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  34. These have to be one of my favourite birds! I have managed to see them on two trips to the US. They are just huge!

    You are right about it being strange how they drill holes that are squares.

    Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  35. They are magnificent birds and I've not seen the inside of the holes they drill.
    I hope you encounter some of their young ones someday Eileen.

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  36. a handsome birdie...not so much the holes though...

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  37. They are beautiful, to look at and to listen as well.

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  38. Dearest Eileen,
    The Pileated Woodpeckers are SO lovely and cute with the red malar♡♡♡
    It sure is interesting to see the holes they made. First for me to see them and you are really true for the shape of them.
    Thank you so much for sharing wonderful pictures.

    Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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  39. Brilliant Eileen. Just fancy having those wonderful woodpeckers just across the way. I hope they use one of those holes so you can get more great shots soon.

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  40. I am always so jealous of you birders who find these woodpeckers. All I see here are the Golden Fronted Woodies. Wishin' I could spot one like yours.

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  41. I would *love* to see one of these in person, Eileen! What fabulous captures. I just adore this bird!

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  42. These are great pictures of the woodpeckers and their handiwork. We have Pileated Woodpeckers that will occasionally come to the suet feeders we have. It's interesting to watch them get at the suet.

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  43. I would love to see one of the Pileateds first hand. We have Downies, Hairies and Red-Headeds here.

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  44. Lovely post, Eileen! They're such magnificent birds...

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  45. Such great photos of this, a bit funny woodpecker! It's a huge one and we don't have them here in Sweden I think!
    Funny holes in the trees too! :)
    Thanks for your comment, Eileen!
    Have a Happy Easter!
    Greetings Pia

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  46. Belas fotos.

    ¸.•°♡
    ♡ "Que este nosso pequeno mundo virtual, nesta Páscoa,
    seja cada vez mais humano!"

    ¸.•°♡
    ♡ Feliz Páscoa!!!

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  47. Very interesting Eileen and great pictures. I have only ever seen a Pileated Woodpecker once, high up in a tree on the Manassas Battlefield. Those holes are very interesting. I suppose you wouldn't want one hanging around a prize cherry blossom tree ;)

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  48. Nice capture of this guy!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  49. How neat! My goodness, those are some big holes. Love the photos, I think the birds are really pretty.

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  50. I think Pileated Woodpeckers are fascinating. I hear them drilling away at the back of our country property all the time. I only wish I could get fantastic photographs like you posted here. My fingers are crossed that you will see pileated youngsters poking their heads out of a hole some day soon! Great images, Eileen!

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  51. Rarely ever hear woodpeckers around here. They sure can drill the holes!

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  52. interesting shots. Is it the same bird making all of the holes? Strange!

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  53. You took me back to Singapore, wehere these woodpeckers were at the trees when I hung my laundry.

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  54. The holes are larger than I expected. I didn't realize their babies go in there too. I thought it was just for storing nuts.

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  55. I have never been this close to a pileated woodpecker. That's on my wishlist for 2013. Lucky you, Eileen!

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  56. I've just shown dh your blog and he was amazed at the holes the woodpeckers make. Oh MY!
    love Leanne Nz

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  57. What wonderful shots of the Pileated Woodpecker!

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  58. Great photos. I am curious, do the trees survive having all those holes drilled in them?

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  59. I have yet to see one of these woodpeckers; great photos!

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