The Pileated Woodpecker

The boisterous Pileated Woodpecker is a little different from his cartoon counterpart. (Courtesy Cynthia Mead)

Elaine South of West Ossippee recently asked us to do a program on pileated woodpeckers. Of course, we’re happy to oblige! Pileated woodpeckers are crow-sized birds with striking black and white plumage and a flaming red crest. Their boisterous call is one of the craziest sounds heard in our forests.

Allegedly, Walter Lantz based his cartoon character, Woody Woodpecker, on a pileated that kept him awake during his honeymoon. Mr. Lantz was not very observant. OK, Woody does have a red crest like a pileated, but his body is blue and yellow. And his call…

SFX: Woody Woodpecker

…is nothing like the real thing.

SFX: Pileated Call

Actual pileated woodpeckers are typically found in mature forests. They prefer large territories, between one and two hundred acres. That’s probably why they need such a loud call!

Pileateds are responsible for creating those large rectangular holes in trees that you sometimes see in the forest. That’s because they use their chisel-like beaks to extricate insects living inside a tree. They also have a very long, barbed tongue for grabbing prey. When not in use, the birds can rewind their tongues around the inside of their skull like a retractable tape measure. Isn’t that cool?

Now, some people think woodpeckers hurt or even kill trees. But woodpeckers only attack trees that are already infested with carpenter ants and termites. In effect, these birds are alleviating the problem, not creating one.

So, next time you are out in a potential pileated place, listen for their staccato drumming and wild rebel yells. If you see one, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that a real woodpecker beats the cartoon variety any day!