Library #33 · D Woodland · Wave 2

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus · Picidae

Crow-sized woodpecker with a flaming crest — inspiration for cartoon woodpeckers.

At a glance

Size: 16–19 in
Wingspan: 26–30 in
Habitat: Mature forests with large dead trees
Diet: Carpenter ants, wood-boring beetles, fruits

Range: Eastern forests and parts of the Pacific Northwest/Canada

Nesting: Large oval entrance cavity in a big dead or dying tree.

Coloring pose idea: On dead snag with rectangular foraging holes

Hear this bird

General call / song: Loud kuk-kuk-kuk series; deep drumming.

Mating / display: Drumming exchanges and loud calls between pair on territory.

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Play calls on All About Birds Species overview Audubon field guide

How to know it

Mostly black with white stripes on face/neck; bright red crest.
Male has a red mustache stripe; female’s is black.
Loud ringing call and deep slow drum.

Behavior

Chisels distinctive rectangular holes seeking carpenter ants.
Needs large territories with big snags.
Cavities later used by owls, ducks, and mammals.

Fun facts

Largest woodpecker in most of North America.
Excavations can be a foot or more deep and long.
Pairs may stay on territory year-round.

Companion page for the Birds Coloring Calendar series by R. J. D. B. Fact summaries are original educational text or short paraphrases with source links. Call playback via link to All About Birds / Cornell Lab. Re-test QR codes on a phone before final print. Not affiliated with Cornell Lab or Audubon.