Pam Erickson Otto is the manager of nature programs and interpretive services at the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, a facility of the St. The birds, after all, couldn’t care less. He says that both versions are acceptable and notes, “If it bothers you when people say it differently than you do, lighten up.” Language Person’s Guide to Bird Name Pronunciations,” a humorous piece written by crow expert Kevin McGowan Ph. But since I like pie better than pills, I tend to favor the former over the latter.Ĭurious as to whether one version is considered “correct,” I consulted the web site of the Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology, a vast storehouse of all things bird. Around here though most people go with PILL-leated. I was in the Smoky Mountains when I first began to learn about this bird, and down there the accepted articulation is PIE-leated. Then there’s the question of the pronunciation of the word pileated. In the classic series Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds (21 volumes published between 19) author Arthur Cleveland Bent lists no fewer than 15 common names, including stump breaker and king-of-the-woods. Indeed! The species name pileatus refers to the bird’s prominent crest.īut just as captivating are the bird’s many common names, most of them regional in nature. Dryocopus is taken from the Greek dryos, which means oak or tree, and koptos, which means cut or chopped. One thing that has always fascinated me about pileated woodpeckers, besides their incredible size and power, is their name. The female lays three to five eggs and the pair then shares in the incubation and raising of the young. When breeding season comes, the male excavates a tree cavity over the course of three to six weeks. This term, however, is a little misleading, as pileated do move around-especially in winter-as they search for food. The birds are listed as nonmigratory, meaning they are residents wherever they are found. pileatus typically dine on carpenters ants supplemented by the larvae of various wood-boring beetles and, in season, caterpillars and other insects, and various nuts and berries. For it is within these branches and trunks that the bird’s favorite foods dwell. Pileated woodpeckers favor stands of large trees that contain a fair amount of dead wood. Pileateds produce a range of wahs, wuks and woks that can sound like a loud chuckle-similar, but louder, than the sound of the northern flicker. This feature, along with an undulating flight pattern, are a big help in distinguishing the birds from crows when you’re watching from a distance.Īs with most birds, sound can also be a useful means of identification. But in flight, broad patches of bright white feathers on the wings are revealed. Perched on the side of a tree, the birds appear to be mostly black. Also, males and females-which are monogamous–both have a prominent black stripe across the white cheeks, but the male’s is tinged with red. The sexes are similar, both possessing a red crest, but the male’s extends all the way to the bill while the female’s forehead is grayish. long and have a wingspan of up to 30 inches. Often compared to the American crow, pileated woodpeckers measure 16 to 19 in. But before we all head out hell-bent on finding these big boys, and girls, it’s probably prudent to become a little more familiar with their appearance, habits and behaviors.įirst and foremost is the birds’ large size. Julie added that the bird is one of the target species for this year’s Audubon Christmas Bird Count.Ĭertainly the Arb, along with sites in and around LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, as well as where I came across the work of a pileated, at Fabyan East Forest Preserve in Geneva, are well worth closer examination. Charles, said there have been sporadic sightings dating back about three years. My friends Julie and Valerie, both of whom live in the general Ferson Creek area in St. Good Natured reader Barb Evans wrote in to say she and her husband saw a pileated at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle last fall, along the Big Rock Trail, and last Sunday, along the Heritage Trail by the Big Rock Visitor Center. Last week I asked for folks to send in their sightings. Over the past few years reports of this large (crow-sized) woodpecker have started popping up in our area, namely in the eastern part of the county as well as in neighboring Dupage. It might be time to change the range maps. After all, isn’t this a bird found only in the forests of the north, south, east and northwest? Only a few years ago such musing would be considered something akin to preposterous. Last week in this space we pondered the presence of the pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus, here in Kane County. (Photo credit: BryanHanson at )Ĭharacteristics of Pileated Woodpeckers December 22, 2017 This male pileated woodpecker shows off his massive beak, which is used for excavating food as well as nest cavities from dead trees.
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