Pileated woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

(Photo from Carkeek Wetland)

Common name:

pileated woodpecker (en); pica-pau-grande (pt); grand pic (fr); picamaderos norteamericano (es); helmspecht (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Piciformes

Family Picidae

Range:

This North American species is found throughout the eastern United States, all across Canada and down the Pacific coast to California.

Size:

This very large woodpecker is 40-49 cm long and have a wingspan of 66-75 cm. They weigh 250-350 g.

Habitat:

They are only found in forested areas, in both deciduous and coniferous forests as long as they have large trees.

Diet:

Pileated woodpeckers are mostly insectivorous, hunting carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae from under the tree bark. They may also eat fruits and nuts.

Breeding:

These birds usually pair for life. In April the male makes a hole in a tree, most often in a dead tree. There, the female lays 1-6 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 15-16 days. The chicks take a month to fledge.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

The pileated woodpecker has a very large breeding range and a population estimated at 930.000 individuals. The population has undergone a significant increase over the last 40 years so the species is not considered threatened at present.