The Pileated Woodpecker is a magnificent bird with its eye-catching crest and impressive size. It is definitely a bird that grabs your attention. Like other woodpecker species, the Pileated Woodpecker is often seen drilling into trees, sometimes creating huge holes. But do Pileated Woodpeckers destroy trees? In this article we will learn a bit about these large woodpeckers, why they drill into trees and how much damage it actually causes.
What Are Pileated Woodpeckers?
Before we get into why these birds seem to have a grudge against trees, let’s first take a look at the bird itself and learn a bit more about them.
The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is a striking bird known for its impressive size. With a length of about 16 to 19 inches, it is the largest woodpecker in North America. This species has a distinct appearance, featuring bold black and white plumage with a vibrant red crest on its head. The females and males of the species look extremely similar, except the males have a bright red stripe on their cheeks.
Pileated Woodpeckers are primarily found in mature forests across the eastern and northern parts of North America. They thrive in habitats filled with large, standing dead trees, which are an ideal location for nesting and foraging. They consume plenty of insects, particularly carpenter ants, and they use their large, heavy bill to excavate deep into the wood looking for food.
Why Do Pileated Woodpeckers Drill On Trees?
There are three main reasons that woodpeckers peck on trees. Let’s look at each of the reasons below to better understand their behavior.
Pileated Woodpeckers Use Trees For Communication
Drumming is a behavior exhibited by woodpeckers, in which they rapidly peck on trees or other objects to communicate with other woodpeckers, establish territory, attract mates, and search for food. The drumming sound is created by the rapid and repetitive tapping of the woodpecker’s beak against the hard surface, producing a distinctive and often loud drumming noise.
Trees work well for this, especially dead and hollow trees that create a more resonate sound that carries far. They will also utilize utility poles or metal surfaces like chimney caps and metal roofs.
When they drum, the Pileated Woodpecker does so slowly, before accelerating the speed and then trailing off at the end. This is one way to distinguish the Pileated Woodpeckers from other species, who typically drum using a steady be