Pileated Woodpecker
⚡ Key Facts & Quick Answers (AEO Summary)
- Taxonomic Class: Birds (Aves)
- Dietary Niche: Insectivore (Carpenter ants, wood-boring beetle larvae)
- Max Speed: 20 km/h (12 mph)
- Adult Weight: 250 - 350 grams
- Typical Lifespan: 8 - 12 years
- Primary Habitat: Deciduous and coniferous forests, wooded parks, mature suburbs
- Native Region: North America
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
📊 Physical & Biological Metrics
🧬 Scientific Taxonomy & Biological Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Piciformes |
| Family | Picidae |
| Genus | Dryocopus |
| Species Binomial | Dryocopus pileatus |
📖 1. Species Overview
The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America. They carve large, rectangular holes in dead trees to forage for carpenter ants, creating nests that are vital for other forest creatures.
🦿 2. Physical Appearance, Anatomy & Adaptations
Crow-sized woodpecker with a black body, white neck stripes, and a brilliant red crest (pileum) on its head.
🗺️ 3. Habitat, Geographic Distribution & Territorial Range
Territorial and vocal. They make loud, drum-like hammering sounds on dead trunks to establish territory.
🥩 4. Diet, Feeding Strategy & Hunting Tactics
Pound wood with a force of 1,000g, using their chisel-like bill to dig into ant galleries and extracting them with a sticky tongue.
🐣 5. Reproduction, Lifecycle & Social Hierarchy
Pairs carve a new nest cavity in dead trees annually. Both parents incubate the 3-5 eggs and feed chicks.
🛡️ 6. Conservation Status, Population Threats & Protection
Least Concern. Widespread and common, recovering from early forest clearance.
💡 Fascinating Facts & Trivia
- Woodpeckers have a specialized hyoid bone that wraps around their brain, acting like a seatbelt to prevent brain injury from hammering.
- The rectangular holes they carve are so deep that they can compromise the structural integrity of dead tree trunks.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Direct authoritative answers regarding the biology, feeding habits, and habitat of the Pileated Woodpecker.
The Pileated Woodpecker is scientifically classified as Dryocopus pileatus. It belongs to the genus Dryocopus within the family Picidae, class Aves, and phylum Chordata.
In the wild, Pileated Woodpeckers inhabit Deciduous and coniferous forests, wooded parks, mature suburbs. Their native geographic range primarily spans North America.
The Pileated Woodpecker is classified as a Insectivore. It feeds primarily on specialized nutrients suited to its ecological niche in Deciduous and coniferous forests, wooded parks, mature suburbs.
A Pileated Woodpecker can achieve top speeds of 20 km/h (12 mph) and weighs approximately 250 - 350 grams. Its expected natural lifespan is 8 - 12 years.
The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is currently designated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Cite this Article
FaunaWiki Zoological Database (2026). "Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) Species Profile."
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