Northern California is home to a diverse array of woodpecker species, ranging from tiny downy woodpeckers to the regal pileated woodpecker. Of the woodpeckers found in Northern California, the largest is the pileated woodpecker. With its striking red crest, black and white plumage, and large size, the pileated woodpecker stands out as a charismatic resident of Northern California’s forests.
In this article, we will explore key facts about the pileated woodpecker, including its identification, size, habitat, diet, breeding and nesting behaviors, conservation status, and where birders can find this impressive woodpecker in Northern California. Understanding more about the natural history of Northern California’s largest woodpecker provides insight into the region’s forests and highlights the diversity of avian life found here.
Identification of the Pileated Woodpecker
The pileated woodpecker is unmistakable thanks to its distinctive features. With a wingspan of 26-30 inches (66-76 cm), it is one of the largest woodpeckers found in North America. It has black plumage with bold white stripes down its neck and white underwings visible in flight. The pileated woodpecker’s most striking feature is its bright red crest, which sweeps dramatically back from its bill. Males have a red stripe extending from the bill to the throat, while females have a black stripe in the same spot.
Both males and females have a sturdy, chisel-like ivory bill used for hammering. The pileated woodpecker often perches upright on tree trunks. Its strong claws and stiff tail feathers provide support as it hitches up tree trunks. When flying between trees, the pileated woodpecker reveals its distinctive black and white patterned wings. Its flight style is undulating. The pileated woodpecker’s loud, machine gun-like drumming and loud calls that sound like wild cackling draw attention to its presence.
Size of the Pileated Woodpecker
With a body length of 16-19 inches (40-48 cm) and wingspan over 2 feet (60 cm), the pileated woodpecker ranks as the largest woodpecker in Northern California, and the second largest woodpecker in the United States after the critically endangered ivory-billed woodpecker.
On average, the pileated woodpecker weighs 8-12 ounces (230-350 grams), with females typically slightly smaller than males. Even at the lower end of the size range, an 8 ounce pileated woodpecker outweighs smaller woodpeckers by two or three times. In contrast, downy woodpeckers weigh only about 1 ounce (28 grams).
The pileated woodpecker’s large size gives it a strapping profile as it expertly hitches up tree trunks using its stiff tail feathers. Its substantial bill allows it to hammer deep into wood in search of carpenter ants and other insect prey. Overall, the pileated woodpecker’s robust size matches its wood-excavating prowess in Northern California’s forests.
Habitat
The pileated woodpecker resides year-round in mature forests across much of Northern California. Decaying logs and standing dead trees (snags) containing carpenter ant colonies provide ideal habitat. Forests with a mix of tree ages and abundant snags satisfy the pileated woodpecker’s needs for nesting, roosting, and foraging sites.
In Northern California, pileated woodpeckers chiefly occupy mature coniferous forests dominated by trees like Douglas fir, pine, and redwood. They also reside in mature deciduous forests containing trees like oak, maple, and cottonwood. Parks, wooded neighborhoods, and river bottoms may attract pileated woodpeckers if larger trees are present.
Pileated woodpeckers create rectangular excavations in dead trees in which they roost and nest. The entry holes for these cavities are large, oval-shaped, and 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) tall. Abandoned pileated woodpecker roost and nest cavities later get used by other wildlife, like owls, ducks, bats, and raccoons, for shelter.
Diet
The pileated woodpecker’s strong chisel-like bill enables it to hammer deeply into wood in search of its main prey, carpenter ants. It also eats other insects like beetle larvae, termites, caterpillars, ants, and insect eggs. In addition, fruits and nuts like wild grapes, dogwood, poison oak, sumac, and acorns make up a small portion of the pileated woodpecker’s diet.
This woodpecker uses its bill to chisel rectangular-shaped holes into dead trees, stumps, fallen logs, and live trees. It then extends its long tongue, which is barbed and coated in sticky saliva, into deep crevices to catch carpenter ants and pull them out. The unique excavations of the pileated woodpecker provide feeding opportunities for other birds unable to dig as deeply.
Breeding and Nesting
Pileated woodpeckers form monogamous pairs during the breeding season from April to July. Courting includes a lot of calling back and forth, bill tapping, and crest raising. Males attract females by drumming loudly and rapidly on dead trees. The drumming conveys the male’s fitness.
Once paired, the pileated woodpecker duo excavates a nesting cavity in a large dead or partially dead tree, generally 50-70 feet (15-21 m) above ground. They may reuse nest cavities in subsequent years. The entrance hole is roughly 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) wide. Inside, the female lays 2-5 glossy white eggs on a bed of wood chips. Both parents incubate the eggs for 15-18 days.
The chicks hatch helpless, with their eyes closed. For the first few days, the parents brood them almost constantly to keep them warm. The chicks fledge in 26-28 days, but continue to be fed by their parents as they learn to forage on their own through the fall. In winter, the young birds disperse to establish their own territories.
Conservation Status
Widespread forest clearing and removal of dead standing trees and downed logs negatively impacted pileated woodpecker numbers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, populations rebounded in the late 1900s thanks to forest regrowth and greater protections. Currently the pileated woodpecker has a global population estimate of over 1 million and a breeding range across much of North America.
The pileated woodpecker is classified as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its numbers increased by about 1.5% per year from 1966 to 2015 across North America, indicating a growing population. These woodpeckers adapt readily to human-altered habitats like forest fragments and suburban parks. While still relatively common, they remain vulnerable to habitat loss and require mature forests with adequate snags and downed logs to thrive. Ongoing forest conservation is important for the pileated woodpecker’s future.
Where to Find Pileated Woodpeckers in Northern California
Prime locations to spot pileated woodpeckers in Northern California include:
- Redwood National and State Parks – Nesting pileated woodpeckers excavate cavities in old-growth redwoods and fallen logs here provide carpenter ant prey.
- Shasta-Trinity National Forest – Mixed conifer forests broken by meadows and lakes offer pileated woodpecker habitat within the largest national forest in California.
- Lassen Volcanic National Park – The park protects 106,000 acres of mixed conifer forest habitat preferred by pileated woodpeckers and other montane species.
- Yosemite National Park – Mature montane forests with snags and downed logs attract breeding pileated woodpeckers.
- Point Reyes National Seashore – Eucalyptus groves near human settlements concentrate ants relished by pileated woodpeckers.
The pileated woodpecker remains a resident breeder across much of Northern California. Seek out mature forests with old trees and listen for its loud calls and drumming. With luck, you may catch a glimpse of California’s largest, most majestic woodpecker soaring overhead, its bold black and white plumage flashing through the trees.
Conclusion
The pileated woodpecker stands as the largest woodpecker species found in Northern California forests. It measures 16-19 inches long with a wingspan over 2 feet. Weighing 8-12 ounces, it dwarfs smaller woodpeckers. The pileated woodpecker can be identified by its black body, white stripes on its neck and wings, bright red crest, and characteristic undulating flight. This woodpecker chiefly inhabits mature coniferous and deciduous forests with ample snags and fallen logs. It excavates characteristically rectangular holes while foraging for carpenter ants, its main prey. Courting pairs engage in various displays like calling, crest raising, bill tapping, and drumming. Both parents incubate 2-5 eggs for around 18 days. The young fledge in a month but are fed through fall. Northern California provides ample habitat for breeding pileated woodpeckers in forests like Redwood National Park and Yosemite National Park. While still common, pileated woodpeckers need ongoing forest conservation to maintain healthy populations. Overall, the pileated woodpecker symbolizes Northern California’s magnificent forests through its size, adaptable nature, and wood excavating abilities.