Female pileated woodpecker

[Mousetoescamper]

Taken yesterday morning at Lancaster County Central Park, Lancaster, PA. This one got neglected while reviewing a few hundred shots yesterday afternoon. She was pretty far away, but it's not a bad exposure. One of my favorite birds.

[FirstLight]

1. I love hearing them !

We mostly have the Downy kind, a few others I can't remember...but the drumming on the trees is so distinct

[SarahD]

2. And the cackle.

Most people who hear it for the first time say, "Hey! It's Woody Woodpecker."

[SamKnause]

3. Those live in my neighborhood.

I heard one this morning pecking an electric pole for a floodlight in my yard.

I looked out and sure enough there it was.

They are destructive and they are fast about it.

Between them and the carpenter bees wood gets a drilling around here.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. This is a beautiful bird in a photo that more than does her justice, my dear Mousetoescamper . . .

She is perfectly caught; even the tree she's pecking is in focus, while nothing else is. It's perfect!

[Mousetoescamper]

7. Thanks, Peggy!

[Diamond_Dog]

5. What a great shot!

These bids are notoriously shy so you must have been in the right place at the right time! I’ve only been lucky enough to see one in my backyard once.

I alway thought that this is the bird Woody Woodpecker was based on.

[Mousetoescamper]

9. Thanks!

I usually hear them before seeing them.

Cartoonist Walter Lantz said the character was inspired by an acorn woodpecker.

[captain queeg]

6. There was another woodpecker that looked similar but was supposed to be extinct

Sometimes someone would report seeing one but it would end up being a pileated woodpecker. Don’t remember the name now. Maybe an ivory billed woodpecker?

[Mousetoescamper]

10. The ivory-billed woodpecker was thought to be extinct

but was seen again in Arkansas in 2004 and hasn't been seen feather nor tail of since. I had to look it up but well remember the controversy.

[AllaN01Bear]

8. ha. thats purrrfect. ka dak ak.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

11. Great shot!

I've only seen them once.

[Mousetoescamper]

12. Thanks!

They're often heard and sometimes seen around here (South Central PA).

[calimary]

13. Redheads always have something special about them.

This one’s no exception!

[Mousetoescamper]

14. Naturally hot stuff: fire, passion, danger, vitality.

[HAB911]

15. Love those birds! Nice catch!

[Mousetoescamper]

16. Thanks!

[ShazzieB]

17. I was wondering how to tell that this is a female, so i googled.

And I found out the following, which I am sharing in case anyone else was wondering:

Both have red crowns, but on males the red color extends all the way down to their long bills. On females, the red coloration stops on the top of the head, and the forecrown is instead black or gray in color, according to Cornell Lab. (Source: https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/what-difference-male-vs-female-pileated-woodpecker/)

This is a lovely shot of this lovely little lady!

[Mousetoescamper]

18. Thanks!