{"id":10687,"date":"2018-03-19T06:30:55","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T10:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=10687"},"modified":"2018-03-16T09:41:21","modified_gmt":"2018-03-16T13:41:21","slug":"take-5-pileated-woodpeckers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-pileated-woodpeckers\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Pileated Woodpeckers"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s always a treat to spot the iconic pileated woodpecker (unless, of course, you catch one drilling into the side of your house<\/a>). With their striking black and white plumage and flaming red crests, they are almost prehistoric-looking, like a crow-sided modern pterodactyl.<\/p>\n

Woodpeckers have several unique adaptations<\/a>. Their feet have two toes pointing forward and two pointing rearward with sharp pointed claws that enable them to scale tree trunks and other vertical surfaces to look for food and shelter. Their straight pointed bills and reinforced skulls help them to absorb the constant shock of pecking, chiseling, drilling, and drumming as they hunt for insects (especially carpenter ants) to\u00a0eat. Their stiff tail feathers act as props (like a third leg) when they climb.<\/p>\n

It’s not an everyday occurrence\u00a0to see a pileated woodpecker, so here are five photos of these remarkable birds\u00a0from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors<\/a> photo contest for you to enjoy. Submissions for the 2018 photo contest will open in early summer, so keep an eye out!<\/p>\n

\"Pileated

Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Lee Millet<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pileated

Pileated Woodpeckers \u00a9 Jacob Mosser<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pileated

Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Kimberlee Bertolino<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pileated

Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Mary Jeanne Tash<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pileated

Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Davey Walters<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pileated

Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Dan Prima<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s always a treat to spot the iconic pileated woodpecker (unless, of course, you catch one drilling into the side of your house). With their striking black and white plumage and flaming red crests, they are almost prehistoric-looking, like a crow-sided modern pterodactyl. Woodpeckers have several unique adaptations. Their feet have two toes pointing forward […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":10697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[158],"tags":[28,83,84,212],"class_list":["post-10687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-take-5","tag-birds","tag-photo-contest","tag-photography","tag-woodpecker"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/864Kimberlee_Bertolino11865_fi.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-2Mn","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16722,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/spotlight-on-pileated-woodpeckers\/","url_meta":{"origin":10687,"position":0},"title":"Spotlight on Pileated Woodpeckers","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"March 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Did you know there are seven different types of woodpeckers that breed in Massachusetts? Among them are the common Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Northern Flicker. More elusive, despite it's size, is the Pileated Woodpecker. Keep reading to learn more and check out our latest shirt design featuring the this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Birds & Birding"","block_context":{"text":"Birds & Birding","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/birds-birding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/03\/6931Tom_Raymo36640-750x500-d24ee1ae-451a-45c4-9a49-e9335aec5bc0-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/03\/6931Tom_Raymo36640-750x500-d24ee1ae-451a-45c4-9a49-e9335aec5bc0-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/03\/6931Tom_Raymo36640-750x500-d24ee1ae-451a-45c4-9a49-e9335aec5bc0-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/03\/6931Tom_Raymo36640-750x500-d24ee1ae-451a-45c4-9a49-e9335aec5bc0-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8150,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-woodpecker-wake-up-call\/","url_meta":{"origin":10687,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Woodpecker Wake-up Call","author":"Ryan D.","date":"August 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"With summer winding down and fall approaching, you may start to hear the sound of a friendly neighbor or two, knocking on your door (or drainpipe, or siding, or trees). Woodpeckers! Each\u00a0fall, woodpeckers excavate roosting holes in preparation for the coming winter, utilizing a behavior called \"drilling.\"\u00a0When woodpeckers\u00a0drill, they actually\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Daniel Tracey, Photo Contest 2014","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/08\/3084Daniel_Tracey11295.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5338,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/who-made-that-hole\/","url_meta":{"origin":10687,"position":2},"title":"Who Made That Hole?","author":"Rosemary","date":"May 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"As you stop to admire the new leaves on a tree this spring, you may notice holes carved in trunks and branches. Who made these cavities, and why? Smaller pits may be the work of insects, but most of the larger holes\u00a0were created by woodpeckers, either for feeding or nesting.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/pileatednest.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/pileatednest.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/pileatednest.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7114,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/built-to-peck-how-woodpeckers-avoid-brain-injury\/","url_meta":{"origin":10687,"position":3},"title":"Built to Peck: How Woodpeckers Avoid Brain Injury","author":"Hillary T.","date":"February 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"We are pleased to share a guest blog post from Lorna Gibson, Mass Audubon Council member, longtime Leadership Friend, and Tern Society member. Lorna is also\u00a0Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and MacVicar Faculty Fellow at MIT. A couple of years ago, Lorna came to Mass Audubon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/02\/kimnagywoodpecker.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/02\/kimnagywoodpecker.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/02\/kimnagywoodpecker.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7584,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/100-great-wildlife-sanctuary-birding-spots\/","url_meta":{"origin":10687,"position":4},"title":"100 Great Wildlife Sanctuary Birding Spots","author":"Hillary T.","date":"May 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Bird-a-thon, Mass Audubon\u2019s annual birding competition takes place on May 13-14. Teams of birders will attempt to see (or hear) the most species in a 24-hour time span. At the same time, birders and \u201cBird-a-thon\u00a0Boosters\u201d are raising money to support wildlife sanctuaries and programs. To kick-off Bird-a-thon and celebrate 100\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Involved"","block_context":{"text":"Get Involved","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-involved\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13584,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-downy-woodpeckers\/","url_meta":{"origin":10687,"position":5},"title":"Take 5: Downy Woodpeckers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"February 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Of the seven woodpeckers found in Massachusetts, the Downy Woodpecker has the distinction of being both the smallest and most common\u2014they can be found almost anywhere there are trees. With insects making up the bulk of their diet, downies will pick and peck at tree bark in search of tasty\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Downy Woodpecker \u00a9 Bruce Gilman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10687"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10696,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10687\/revisions\/10696"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}