Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Least Concern
The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America! With its flaming red crest and loud, laughing call, it's an unforgettable sight. These powerful birds hammer rectangular holes in dead trees to find carpenter ants and beetle larvae.
Their tongue can extend 4 inches beyond their bill and has a barbed, sticky tip to extract insects from deep inside trees!
Size
About the size of a crow
Large (40-60 cm)
Wingspan: 75 cm
Weight: 300 g
Colors
black
white
red
Habitat
forest
Diet
insectsberriesnuts
Fun Facts
- ✨They inspired the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker!
- ✨Pileated Woodpeckers can peck 20 times per second.
- ✨Their rectangular holes provide homes for many other animals.
- ✨Their skull has special spongy bone to absorb the impact of pecking.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Great news! This bird is doing well. There are lots of them in the wild, and they have safe places to live and find food.
Population trend: increasing 📈