Pileated Woodpecker courtship (video)

[robertk]

The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest living woodpecker in North America. We happened to see two of them dancing and presumably courting in the driveway this morning. We seldom see two of these birds together, and have never seen them dance before, so this was pretty cool for us. (The video is pretty far away, but still viewable. We didn't want to walk toward them and interrupt or frighten them.)

 

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[Mackaydon]

They were a rare and welcomed sight when we saw them in Connecticut --way back in the day. But never saw one on the ground or in pairs; only clinging to the sides of birch trees.
Thanks for the vid (and memories).
Don in SoCal.

 

[worldtalker]

I had the pleasure of seeing a few,even a video of one looking for food.Once you hear one you never forget what is making that racket!.In the Great Smoky Mountains they are know by the locals as Wood hens. Awesome creature.

 

[robertk]

I had the pleasure of seeing a few,even a video of one looking for food.

Cool -- those are some great photos!

 

[gunsil]

Love those pileateds!! They were not mating, they do that in the spring. Some say the ivory billed woodpecker still exists in remote areas in the south, it is the largest woodpecker in the US. I'm lucky to have had nesting pileated woodpeckers right near my house for at least twelve years. I see them almost daily, one of the joys in my life. They do make a racket, and supposedly the Woody Woodpecker noise is patterned after the pileated's'.

 

[Sandog]

Great video, thanks for sharing it. This was shot in 2013, my yard, Black Rock Falls, NC. Worked a long time on that hole, but what a fantastic piece of work.