You think you gotta peck out a livin?????????

[worldtalker]

Pilated WoodPecker,them babies are BIG,the hole 2nd from bottom is 8in.What a racket their calls make!

 

[worldtalker]

Pilated WoodPecker,them babies are BIG,the hole 2nd from bottom is 8in.What a racket their calls make!

sorry,here's the pic

 

[ohioaxeman]

Dang! They sure are destructive!

 

[worldtalker]

Here's a mating pair,that tree is near four foot in dia.Sure do miss them Smoky Mountains!!!!!!!!

Dang! They sure are destructive!

 

[worldtalker]

Just had to have that tree,cuter down and brought it with me back up North and put it the ground out the back door,sure is nice to look at first thing in the mornin

Here's a mating pair,that tree is near four foot in dia.Sure do miss them Smoky Mountains!!!!!!!!

Dang! They sure are destructive!

 

[fossis]

If you would mount the tree on a large post the birds could use it for a nest.

Fossis............

 

[Tuberale]

Pileateds are huge birds. Most people have no idea. About the size of a crow or larger, I'd guess. Saw one at a Bioblitz a few years ago working a 3' diameter snag near Charbonneau. Magnificent!

 

[worldtalker]

It was a daily occurrence to see these birds,yes ,they are Magnificent,most people will never get to see one!

 

[worldtalker]

Here's a mating pair,that tree is near four foot in dia.Sure do miss them Smoky Mountains!!!!!!!!

Dang! They sure are destructive!

Same pair

 

[HCW]

The first one I ever saw was about ten feet away from me and was all of 18" tall. maybe taller.
I didn't know what I was looking at until I looked it up in a book.

 

[worldtalker]

You're right HCW , don't see em up north where I am,gotta lot of Bald Eagles though!

 

[Felinepeachy]

WOW what a great picture. I've never seen the holes they make but you know what? God made them to do what they do for a reason so they are doing their job well LOL

 

[ivan salis]

now for the bad news * =-- those woodpeckers would have reused their nest year after year * -( and its a lot of work for them to build a new nesting site) - the biggest danger to them is loss of habitat ( their nesting sites) due to forest land clear for development -- by removing the tree you took out their home nesting site .-- I sure you did not want to harm them as much as you seem to love em -- at least put the tree nest up a bit --if its too low where preditors can have easy access most birds will not use it. -- Ivan

 

[fyrffytr1]

I don't think those are nesting holes. They are way too close to the ground. I have seen a few of them in my backyard but have never been lucky enough to get a good picture.

 

[worldtalker]

now for the bad news * =-- those woodpeckers would have reused their nest year after year * -( and its a lot of work for them to build a new nesting site) - the biggest danger to them is loss of habitat ( their nesting sites) due to forest land clear for development -- by removing the tree you took out their home nesting site .-- I sure you did not want to harm them as much as you seem to love em -- at least put the tree nest up a bit --if its too low where preditors can have easy access most birds will not use it. -- Ivan

Ivan,they build their nests WAY high,this tree was FULL of Carpenter ants!You're not to far from where I was born,Jacksonville-1951.Cheers-HH

 

[worldtalker]

WOW what a great picture. I've never seen the holes they make but you know what? God made them to do what they do for a reason so they are doing their job well LOL

Felinepeachy,This ones for you,GOD BLESS,Chris.

 

[Felinepeachy]

Awwwww, what a cutie. Is it yours?

 

[ivan salis]

ok full of ants --dead nesting site * -- no harm no foul. --- as you know most birds will not use a low level nesting site . the woodpeckers are cool birds with a differant sort of call -- showed my nephew a pair while hunting last season .

 

[Tuberale]

Here in the PNW, Pileateds are part of a much wider ecosystem. Northern Spotted owls rely on old Pileated nests for brood sites, as well as wood ducks.

Yep, those Pileateds were probably excavating a carpenter ant gallery, but it might also have been an extensive termite colony as well. Whether ants or termites, the tree was likely first damaged by wind or weather-related cause, after which a fungus probably colonized it downward. Eventually the mushroom would kill the tree. Pileateds test the tree for easy opening. Fungal-colonized wood is kind of similar to a sponge in texture. So what looks very hard and solid often isn't.

Problem is Pileateds rely on old-growth trees for food and habitat. They only create nesting holes is trees at least 3 feet in diameter at a considerable height. So while the removed snag may at one time have had a Pileated nest, that nesting site has been gone a long time now.

 

[worldtalker]

Here in the PNW, Pileateds are part of a much wider ecosystem. Northern Spotted owls rely on old Pileated nests for brood sites, as well as wood ducks.

Yep, those Pileateds were probably excavating a carpenter ant gallery, but it might also have been an extensive termite colony as well. Whether ants or termites, the tree was likely first damaged by wind or weather-related cause, after which a fungus probably colonized it downward. Eventually the mushroom would kill the tree. Pileateds test the tree for easy opening. Fungal-colonized wood is kind of similar to a sponge in texture. So what looks very hard and solid often isn't.

Problem is Pileateds rely on old-growth trees for food and habitat. They only create nesting holes is trees at least 3 feet in diameter at a considerable height. So while the removed snag may at one time have had a Pileated nest, that nesting site has been gone a long time now.

Tuberale,If ya ever been to GreatSmoky Mountains you'll see how BIG trees get.I lived in a subtropical region Cosby Tennessee for 6yrs.I liked living there better than anywhere I ever lived,I'm 59 too.They got a salamander 12in.long in the criks,only place in the world,Bugs and critters most irredecent I've ever seen!HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!