Remember Woody Woodpecker? Pileated Woodpecker in My Yard

The other day a big black and white bird flew among the trees by the side of the road.  At first I thought it was a magpie – not a Michigan native – before spotting the crested red head.  It was a pileated woodpecker.

Female Pileated Woodpecker in Flight Linked From Seattle Audobon Society

If you’re the right vintage you may remember Woody Woodpecker cartoons.  Woody was a pileated, large, blue instead of black, with white spots on neck and wings and a big crest on his red head.  He was a noisy, happy bird!

If you are too young to know Woody, here is a cartoon you can enjoy.

https://youtu.be/YOl75GBiatM

This photo from the Seattle Audobon Society shows the pretty markings.

Pileated Woodpecker Perching on Tree Linked From Seattle Audobon Society

Pileated woodpeckers are native to Michigan but not common.  There is a family (or more) that live in the wooded vale just north of us that I hear drumming on dead trees and sometimes see flying from one dead tree to another.  Here he is, drilling for bugs (photo linked from Cornell).

We have several other woodpeckers, all smaller, that come to the suet feeder when they aren’t enjoying the bugs in the tree bark.  The hairy and downy woodpeckers are also black with white and red, but much smaller than the pileated and have spotted wings.  This photo from Cornell shows the hairy; the smaller downy has similar markings.

We get two types of flickers, big birds with brown, some black and red.  This is the yellow shafted or northern flicker. That black V chevron is distinctive!

Another view.

We enjoy the woodpeckers dining on our suet and buggy trees and I’m glad to welcome the pileated Woody Woodpecker to the gang!