There are approximately 200 different kinds of woodpeckers in the world. In Washington State we have four native woodpeckers: The Pileated Woodpecker, the Northern Flicker, the Downy Woodpecker, and the Red-Breasted Sapsucker. At least three of these live in the Redmond Wetland Mitigation, our backyard. This of course made it easy for us to find these great woodpeckers. As it were, one of the first birds we caught on camera (and video) was the Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus, but we couldn’t get a very good photo at the time. Today, we got a few better photos.

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

They are mischievous little buggers. They like to look away or hide way up in the trees. I think they prefer not to have their photographs taken. You might recognize this woodpecker all the same. He resembles Woody Woodpecker or should I say, Woody Woodpecker was most likely likened after the Pileated Woodpecker. It is an attractive bird. It also happens to be the largest woodpecker in North America and certainly of the woodpeckers found around here.

Pileated Woodpeckers are about 16 to 19 inches tall. This is about the size of the larger crows. It is black mostly with white stripes on its face. The males have a bright red tuft of feathers on the top of their heads. It is distinguishable because it peaks up — in a crest. This is the only woodpecker to have that crest. Male Pileated Woodpeckers can also have a red mustache. The brilliant red on their heads and faces make for a wonderful contrast against their black and white colors.

The sound they make pecking into a tree is fascinating. It sounds much like an exaggeratedly loud door stopper when you pull it back and let it go. It is loud and easily recognizable. When you hear it—you almost feel sorry for the bird, cringing. It seems as if it MUST hurt but according to the experts it does not. Woodpeckers can pound their beaks into trees for hours without it hurting because they have a very thick skull and extra muscles to cushion the brain. They get the strength necessary to pound the trees by their strong neck muscles. They get the leverage by their special feet—they have two toes in the front and two in back, the extra toe in the back helps grip the tree bark. They also get leverage by the two tail feathers — they are longer and pointed.

Notice how they hold themselves up with those tail feathers? They are almost like extra legs. Would you have thought the feathers would be so strong? Strong enough to hold a bird up while he pecks like a jackhammer on a tree?

I picked up on this early on with the woodpeckers. These tail feathers are pointed and longer than the rest. They look stronger or thicker as well. They definitely had a purpose.

The Pileated Woodpecker is an important bird in the forests where they live. They peck for insects which are often harmful to the trees. They also create large holes in the trees which are often used by smaller birds for nests or squirrels for homes. Not only do native birds use the holes the Pileated Woodpecker creates—these holes attract new birds to the areas where the Pileated Woodpecker lives.

The Pileated Woodpecker is quite the ecological force. It can peck so hard and such a big hole into a tree that some smaller trees are often felled by them. Felled trees are also important parts of forests for creatures to feed within, live within, hide within and when it decomposes—it provides nutrients needed in the soil and forest floor. So, if you live in area where the Pileated Woodpecker is native and you have a forest with trees that have huge holes bored into them—you most likely will find this red-headed bird hanging about. Just listen for the unique jack-hammer sound of its pecking, it will be difficult to miss.

The Pileated Woodpecker has an extra long tongue–it stretches three times the length of its bill!! Their tongues also have little barbs on them to catch insects easier. The length of their tongue makes it easy for the Pileated Woodpecker to reach deep inside the holes they bore to grab insects or sap. This bird is suited for survival or so you would think. Unfortunately, many of the 200 species of woodpeckers are endangered, some are close to extinction. This is due to a loss of habitat. Luckily the Pileated Woodpecker is not close to being endangered yet. I hope it stays this way but population numbers for most all birds are coming back lower and lower each year.

So, while you may be irritated with the woodpeckers for pecking on your roof or making some racket—now you know they are important parts of the ecological balance. And they are fascinating creatures. So before you call the pest control or start making a giant sling shot—step outside, take a camera and a foldable chair and enjoy watching this splendid bird in action.

Did you know that a group of Pileated Woodpecker is referred to by many names?

The collective noun(s) for a woodpecker are below:

A cord of Woodpeckers
A descant of Woodpeckers
A descension of Woodpeckers
A drumming of Woodpeckers
A gatling of Woodpeckers
A crown of Pileated Woodpeckers