At that moment I heard a familiar knocking. I squinted against the pelting flakes that were stinging my face, peering in the direction of the knocking sound to locate the source. Suddenly the knocking had ceased and the raucous complaints of several crows had urgently filled the air. I held my ground, straining against the elements, trying to gaze into the veil of white. Just beyond view, amid the clatter of "caw, caw, caawwww", came a single series of high pitched "kee kee kee kees" that I recognized instantly. For an instant, a flash of red and black flitted through the almost invisible stand of trees that stood about 25 yards to my side. The complaints of the crows had silenced. Though I waited for another fifteen minutes or so, I never got another chance to glimpse what I had hoped to see more clearly. The knocking and "kee kee" sounds were created by a beautiful, yet not too often seen bird.

Anyone who has ever seen a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) can not help but be amazed. It is the largest woodpecker in our area, roughly about the same size of a crow. It has a very bright red pointed crest on its head with black wings and mantle. Its undersides are white, and it has a white strand of feathering that forms what looks like a number 7 running along its face and down its neck on the left profile, and a backward 7, obviously on the right profile. It has a long powerful tapered beak that it uses for pounding holes in trees infested with carpenter ants and other insects. The males have a red mustache on both sides of its face just behind the beak. The females lack this mustache and have a black forehead. The call is similar to that of a flicker’s, but it rises, or falls in pitch. Anyone who has ever noticed large oval shaped holes excavated from old dead trees, have discovered the work of this large woodpecker. They are very similar in appearance to the larger, Ivory billed woodpecker of the southeast, now considered to be extinct, or very close to being extinct.

Pileated woodpeckers mainly eat insects, as well as some sap, nuts, and fruit. In winter, they will eat dormant carpenter ants from infested trees. Since they are a cavity nesting bird, and only have 1 brood of about 4 eggs per season, they rely heavily on standing dead trees in which to excavate their nests. All woodpeckers have a reinforced skull with a long sticky tongue that is anchored at the base of the bill and wraps around the skull. They also have two toes facing forward and two toes, which face back, and a stiff tail. These specialized designs aid the bird in maneuvering and bracing itself against the sides of trees so that it can chisel holes for food and shelter.

Pileated woodpeckers are unique in the respect that they have been observed moving their eggs from fallen nest trees, and relocating them to another nest site. Most other species of bird do not move their eggs, or their young. In all the years that I have been rehabilitating wildlife, this was the first year that I had the opportunity to rehabilitate a Pileated woodpecker. I received her early this fall after she had flown into someone’s picture window and suffered a slight shoulder fracture. Her flaming red head and her comical antics inspired me to name her "Lucy", after Lucille Ball, the comedienne. Lucy ate between 200 and 300 mealworms a day, as well as several suet feeders and almost a whole jar of peanut butter during her several week stay. If I learned anything of value to pass on to other rehabilitators, it is, DO NOT house Pileated woodpeckers in your expensive wood frame cages. Despite the fact that I had placed several dead and rotted whole tree trunks in one of my large outdoor cages, Lucy opted to make short work of several of the 2X4 frame studs near the roof in her cage, rendering them into pencil sized sticks. I calculated the damage at almost $100.00 dollars. Despite her voracious and costly appetite, and her destructive nature, Lucy ironically was a pleasure to have around. I am happy to report that due to quality veterinary attention, and diligent rehabilitation efforts, Lucy made a complete recovery and was released where she was found.

Pileated woodpeckers mate for life, so it was important that she be returned to the area in which she was found. The next time I hike the woods and I hear those tell tale sounds, I will be reminded of Lucy. Beautiful and crazy looking, you just got-to love them.

 
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