Comments on: Stunning

By: Jim Greenberg

Jim Greenberg — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:36:44 +0000

Hi, Kate,

I’ve been looking for a place to report the following: In the afternoon of March 7, as I was walking down the upper Falls Ravine trail in Frick Park, I heard a rather slow chopping sound. As I looked for a source, my gaze was directed to a high branch where I spotted the silhouette of a pileated woodpecker, pecking at what sounded like a hollow branch. I’d heard this sound only once before, in Acadia National Park, but I remembered that it came from a pileated woodpecker. I had never seen one in Pittsburgh before last week.

Best regards,
Jim Greenberg

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 03:12:52 +0000

Female pileated woodpeckers do have less red on their heads. Their foreheads are black/gray and their moustache stripes are black instead of red as shown on the male above. Here's a cool photo of a pileated male and female in which you can see those differences: http://www.pbase.com/macknight/image/44073700

By: Joy K.

Joy K. — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:05:13 +0000

I am so jealous. I desperately want to see one in person.

By: Sophia

Sophia — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:28:02 +0000

Cool! Pileated woodpeckers are among my favorite kind of birds. I used to be able to attract a couple of them to my suet feeder. It was amazing seeing these huge birds up close like that! Thanks for sharing this picture and story.

By: myontz

myontz — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 21:15:43 +0000

I just took a picture of two of these woodpeckers on a tree in my front yard! One has a darker head then the other. Would the lighter one have been the female? They were kind of chasing each other around the tree and then the one with the lighter head just sat on the ground and watched the other. They are beautiful, beautiful birds!

By: Lauren Conkle

Lauren Conkle — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:45:15 +0000

One year we were lucky enough to have a female pileated as a regular at our feeder. It sure was fun to watch her chase the evil starlings and grackles away.

By: Donna

Donna — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:57:11 +0000

Pileated woodpeckers are certainly impressive. We are lucky to have a nesting pair near us. They always announce their presence by their loud cheering & hammering!

By: faith Cornell

faith Cornell — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:55:43 +0000

Long ago when my children were small I lived where I had a yard & hung clothes outside & one Spring a pilated woodpecker dove at me & my clothespins. He was huge. He hung around a long time noisily. Calling his love I suppose. They are beautiful tho.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:41:24 +0000

I’ve been hoping to see a pileated for a couple years now. I didn’t know we had any in Schenley, but should have guessed given all the others I’ve seen. I usually just follow along the lower panther hollow or bridle trails and so it’s been a few weeks since I followed this one (which I didn’t know till now had a name), thetrees were barely starting to come to life last time I went. I think I’ll be following the Steve Falloon trail more often now. I hope I catch a glimpse of this guy.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:10:01 +0000

The pileated woodpecker was very patient, must have hoped the blue jay would just lose interest and go away. Thanks for sharing the beautiful closeup.