![]() When insects aren’t available they’ll turn to wild fruits and nuts which are estimated to be 25% of their diet. According to, more than 60% of their diet comes from carpenter ants.įollowing carpenter ants, other insects they will dine on include other ants, flies, beetle larvae, caterpillars, termites, grasshoppers, and cockroaches. They will peck away under the bark of the tree to get at the insects and scoop them in with their long tongue.Ĭarpenter ants are clearly their favorite. Pileated woodpeckers prefer to eat insects over any other type of food. Dead trees = breakfast, lunch & dinner! What do Pileated Woodpeckers eat? Since their favorite food is carpenter ants and carpenter ants are often the culprits behind dead trees it makes sense the woodpeckers would feel at home around them. Many of these woodpeckers are happy to drill away at fallen logs or stumps which also offers the promise of tasty insects. In fact, they don’t even have to be standing trees. They’ve even been found in small, urban wooded areas in and around backyards.ĭead and decaying trees are ideal as they provide a host for this bird’s primary food source (insects) as well as an ideal place to drill out a home for nesting.Īs long as the trees are mature or decaying the area offers an ideal habitat for these woodpeckers. Pileated woodpeckers live in forests and wooded areas that offer tall deciduous (leafy trees like maple & beech), coniferous trees (like evergreen & pine), and lower fruit & nut-bearing trees & shrubs. The physical attributes of this bird are fairly unique so they are rarely confused with other birds. ![]() Given their large stature it’s a true sight to behold. This bird’s flight is strong and smooth but slow. Their tongue is sticky, contains barbs (handy for capturing and drawing insects into their mouth), and is extremely long! In fact, the tongue is so long the bird’s unique anatomy provides space for it to wrap the tongue in and around the skull when not in use. One of the most interesting attributes of this woodpecker is its tongue which is designed for easy capture and consumption of their favorite food – insects. There are two key differences between the male and the female pileated woodpecker – the crest and cheek. The flaming red triangle-shaped crest is unmistakable and the male also has a red stripe on his cheek. They’re mostly black with white stripes on their face and neck with white underwings. While in flight their wingspan can reach 26-30”. Pileated woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers in North America sizing in at about 16-19” in length – about the size of the common crow. Identifying this woodpecker is very easy. They are also found to a lesser extent in the pacific northwest. Pileated woodpeckers are year-round birds that live in Canada, the upper midwest, and eastern parts of the US. ![]() Where Pileated Woodpeckers Live Map depicting where pileated woodpeckers live. ![]() If you’re in a hurry, feel free to skip ahead to the details around my 5 proven ways to attract this woodpecker. I’ll go into more detail about how to attract them but first I’d like to share where they live, what they look like, their habitat, sounds, diet, mating, and nesting habits. Avoid clearing dead, dying, or fallen trees.Here are the 5 proven ways to attract pileated woodpeckers to your yard: I scoured the internet for days learning about this bird and how real backyard birders have lured this woodpecker to their yards so I can bring you real actionable tips for doing the same. With a little know-how from birdwatching experts, you can easily attract them to your yard! Who wouldn’t want to know how to attract pileated woodpeckers? After all, this woodpecker species is the most unique of them all.
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