The Pileated Woodpecker: A Trickster

[@barbarabenware9701]

A few years ago I was able to watch a Pileated Woodpeck at " work " from inside my warm car. He didn't seem bothered one bit with my presence. I was able to spend hours there watching in winter in the ADK Mountains. A sight I'll never forget and am thankful for being able to witness !

[@JohnDoe-fe6nq]

your job is to sit in a car ?

[@norencenelson8111]

I had the great fortune of watching a nest of Pileated woodpeckers on the bank of my favorite fishing spot. The nest had young in it. When a parent landed on the trunk, the young put up a fuss, each one wanting to be fed first. It sounded, to me, like someone opened the door to a saloon while a drunken argument was in full bloom. What a treat.

[@outdoorztime2923]

I am fortunate enough to have these birds in my front yard. My family and I live behind a creek in a simi-wooded area. This year I double-girted a Gum Tree and left it standing for the woodpeckers. I have seen them feeding on grubs in rotten tree stumps and also on Carolina Buckthorn Berries. One time I was riding in the country looking for a good place to deer hunt and noticed two Pileated Woodpeckers feeding on some Staghorn Sumac. On Christmas day I planted five of these pretty, native bushes on my property for the Peleated Woodpeckers (mainly), but also for other birds in mind. I truly enjoy listening to these birds while on the deck with a nice cup of hot coffee. Sometimes when my boy and I are out playing a game of basketball these birds will sing their songs, and I tell Isaac, "They are laughing at us about the misses we are making." lol Mr. Krausse, that was a great video you put together - A+.

[@bonnielucas153]

I have never seen any pileated babies before. I can't get over them! Thank you for this program.

[@JG-sz9li]

I know this is special because I very rarely purposely watch movies, shows, or videos more than once....I think this is my 3rd time now. And I'm hoping for a sequel. The flawless footage of the absolute cutest baby birds on earth just makes my heart so happy!♥️

[@49LivingtheDream]

The pileated woodpecker, my favorite woodpecker. Love the Kachina doll, too. Reminds me of my time living in New Mexico for six years.

[@4TheWayTruthLife]

I really appreciate the whole process, video, editing, using text, and the detailed description you wrote. Thank you so much! 😁🕊️

[@azwife1715]

It was my honor to see one of these in PA about 25 years ago. Some things you never forget 💕💕

[@markhansen8078]

One of my favorite birds. I love their call. It reminds me of a jungle call. They love to live in a big timber area. They were fairly common around my house but most of the big trees are gone now due to development. I still see them near a forested area and enjoy seeing and hearing them. Thanks for posting the video.

[@mmmmcheese4850]

They make the most wonderful racket in the neighborhood. I love knowing they’re around.

[@beebob1279]

We hear them too. We see them about once ever couple weeks depending on the time of year. Watch out for your car mirrors though. They wrecked mine during their mating season.

[@relentlessmadman]

Wait until the do it on your roof a 5:30am

[@beebob1279]

@@relentlessmadman That wouldn't bother me.

[@contessalouannec8064]

Those woodpeckers are beautiful. The young ones grew so fast. Thank You for taking the time to film them.

[@jlroussin]

I saw a pair of these flying over the Mississippi River the other day, and I often here them along Meramec River as well.

[@neiloconnor9349]

Excellent filming. A pair of these woodpeckers, presumably a breeding pair, excavated a huge cavity in a white pine immediately behind my house on a warm February day a few years ago. They had second thoughts, and moved elsewhere.

[@TheOldGord]

I appreciate the effort it took to get this footage. I’ve found that they are not an easy subject to photograph. Very wary and alert.

[@cleoxo2566]

So true! When we spot one on our seut feeder, we freeze in place. If they pick up any movement through our window, they fly off immediately. My husband keeps his digital camera at the ready, and he has managed some wonderful shots, but you have to be quick and very, very quiet.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

Great point ... somebody put a lot of time and effort into this high quality vignette

[@wagonwheel9426]

The photographer probably found the den tree and built a blind, no?

[@TheOldGord]

@@wagonwheel9426 Yes, which takes a lot of effort and patience.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Yes you are all right, it take time and persistence with any bird if you want to get close. Hope you read the description to get the essence of the story, many people don't bother. Thanks for stopping.

[@GalateaPolifemo]

Very beautiful! Thank you so very much.

[@kathrynmenzel7718]

This one of the best bird videos I have ever seen!

[@lindadowling1017]

Just superb! Music was appropriate and selected well..cheers..thank u for the tremendous effort demonstrated in producing this wonderful video and the narrative captions were wonderful..

[@Uncagethewild]

This beautiful documentary has made my day... whenever I see a new life, I always think about the parents, the work, love and pain has gone into raising each one 👌👌♥️♥️ Greetings from India 🇮🇳 Stay connected and safe.

[@danconnors8961]

I have a couple visiting my suet quite regularly. They are fantastic to watch, and so big!

[@michaelinminn]

Thanks for including the chickadees. My favorite bird. I've only seen a couple pileated woodpeckers in my neighborhood in 30 years. Maybe my dying cottonwood will bring one around.

[@tonyv8925]

I live next to a DNR wetland area (no hunting allowed), so I have a large variety of birds and other animals. Currently there are 3 nesting pairs of Pileated Woodpeckers in my area. Not to mention many other species of woodpeckers. Love this area.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Thanks for connecting. Where do you live. send me a note. [e-mail]

[@JG-sz9li]

I wish I knew how many were in our trees! I've seen & photographed a male & female...not sure i could ever tell for sure whether it was really 2 individual birds or 10! Same goes with the cardinals.

[@KENTUCKY-MAMA]

Wonderful for the wildlife. What State R U in ?

[@atheistsince1210]

To die for you are so blessed !

[@sopamarucha2388]

Thats weird why are the put on extinction?

[@vickilogangibson6811]

My grandson spotted a pileated woodpecker in our side yard today. He/she was working on a stump. We live in a rural area and are lucky to see and hear them. We watched this great video to learn more about them. Thank you.

[@tomdonelson385]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I miss feeding birds, but I miss feeding Pileated Woodpeckers the most. Many times I had both the parents & the kids at the feeders, but the kids didn’t know what to do. So, they would squawk to Mom & she'd feed them. One time 2 of them landed & perched on a tube feeder. They knew there was seed in there, but couldn’t figure out how to get it out! Right next to the tube was an open feeder & a suet feeder!! Such a delight to watch. They would tolerate me if was standing or sitting about 10' away.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

These are special moments to enjoy, I know what you mean. Thank you.

[@sweetdrahthaar7951]

I saw a pair of those in SW Idaho only once in a place I frequented for 40 years. They were outside of their range according to everything I’ve ever read. So I count that as a real lucky thing for me because I always admired them in books I collect on birds.

[@rhodawatkins4516]

Several years ago I was lucky enough to get to see one hanging upside down from a bent-over poke salat bush eating the purple berries from it. The fact that the bird weighed more than the bush could support and remain upright didn't deter it at all. It just hung on, upside down and continued to feast.

[@melanieohara6941]

What a blessed find-Thank You! Watching from Wyoming.🌹

[@neildbarker]

Really excellent footage and very well done. I appreciate that you were able to catch their full season. Thanks for sharing.

[@Jin88866]

Amazing footage. Thank you for sharing the precious images of these beautiful creatures.

[@tlnn6598]

One of my favorite birds. 🦅 We have a few around here. You can hear them screech - Loud & Clear!!

[@cherylparsons9920]

I have a pair that live across from my house in a swampy area.

[@thedavenportjamcruise879]

We had a piliated woodpecker family 2ft outside our upstairs window in a tree growing off the corner of our house. It was awesome seeing them so close.

[@katiaronnoco3345]

Beautiful video. Personally I wish there was no music - just the sound of the birds.

[@terrybush2605]

music sucks

[@tstuff]

A couple years ago I heard one of these for about two hours straight. I could tell he was moving closer toward my yard because the noise was getting louder. Guessing by how loud he was in my yard he must have been at least a quarter mile away when I first heard him. He found a couple dead and rotting trees in my yard that he must have found an all you can eat buffet because he stayed at those trees the rest of the day just tearing into them. He was huge. Like a terrier with wings. He was not afraid of me. I stood just 10 feet away taking pictures. I've seen him occasionally over the last three years. Such a fun bird to watch.

[@jeannebovenzi9449]

Beautiful footage. We had one visit our yard last year in upstate NY .I hope they return. They are a fascinating bird.

[@Optimusprimerib36]

A few years ago two pileated peckers went down the treeline behind my house. You could hear them long before you could see them. Tey were going from tree to tree, pecking and eating. When behind my house I could actually see the bits of wood flying from the one's beak. It was like a power tool; super impressive.

[@regulahollemstein1557]

..zauberhaft,..ich vermisse den Specht so sehr,..er ist ..sowas besonderes,...seine Erscheinung ..und insbesondere sein klopfen... ..danke..für die wundervollen Aufnahmen in Bild und Ton....lg

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Danke fuer Ihre Beobachtungen. Wie ich noch in Deutschland wohnte habe ich diese Spechte nie gesehen. Giebt's die dort?.

[@adrienchandler4906]

A friend who lives in northern Michigan has Pileateds come to her suet feeders every day. Such gorgeous birds.

[@stvbrsn]

When climbing at the Shawangunk ridge in NY state (better known as the “gunks”) I hear and see these guys quite often. They are unique, majestic and... huge. Also see lots of downys and hairys, peregrine falcons, turkey and black vultures, turkeys, ravens, skinks, porcupines and of course, millipedes.

[@atheistsince1210]

Simply magical I used to have some pilated woodpeckers in VA and they’re enough to make me pull over on the side of the road which I will do every time these creatures are magnificent I weep and long for our extinct Ivory Billed woodpeckers from Louisiana- the largest in North America but vanished due to human greed :-(

[@paulaelliott47]

When I first saw one of these in GA in the 80's, I knew where the cartoon Woody the Woodpecker in my childhood comic books, came from. I'd never seen a real woodpecker like this. This was fascinating. Thank you so much for the wonderful photography and this youtube video. You have enriched my life.

[@DrAaronSoares]

Great effort to capture this footage . My children loved it , loved the red crest so brilliant creatures

[@tiger8linny788]

What a beautiful video; visually and musically divine. I hear the pileated woodpeckers near me and catch a glimpse of them once in a while. It was so lovely the see how they raised their family. Thank you so very much for sharing your artful love of nature❣️

[@alhambralions5985]

🐝 Thank you for this beautiful, informative piece. They are rarely seen in the dense suburbs. I saw, and heard, my first Pileated Woodpecker at the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in NC. They were my brother’s favorite bird, and having this extended, close-up view of their family life brought me great joy. I didn’t realize that the father Pileated continued to feed them. My preference would be to continue with the written narration rather than voice-over. I truly appreciate the dedication and skill required make these videos.

[@chelseaaa7360]

Thank you for the totem story for them! And I love how big the babies mouths are!! 😄💕

[@pprehn5268]

Thank you for this excellent video about this majestic bird,

[@littlebrookreader949]

How wonderful! Thank you for the whole experience! Excellent!

[@tomitstube]

this is why i leave dead trees and branches around, it provides food and shelter for woodpeckers, and other birds. but i hear the pileated's all the time, sightings are rare, this is very well done.

[@randygreen007]

Okay as long as the termites don’t get into your house.

[@tomitstube]

@@randygreen007 true, i've tented my house twice in 20 years, it's quite normal where i live, we have subterranean termites, they do the most damage, gotta watch those buggers, it's a good idea to keep dead timber off the ground, and well away from the house. dead limbs in trees won't won't bother you, but once if falls you need to get rid of it.

[@thamedthamed3261]

aaauhdhsjuuuudydd

[@cleftoftherock6797]

Great job. Whenever I see one of these pileated either flying or hammering away on a tree, I feel like it’s a good day. Brings back memories of my granddad telling me about seeing the Ivory Billed Woodpecker in the Deep South when he was a boy (1930s/1940s). Gee I wish God would bring them back from extinction. Perhaps there are a few pair of Ivory Billed in some dense Forrest here or they say perhaps in Cuba. Majestic amazing birds.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Thanks for your thoughts. I fully agree bringing back species is a long shot. What we need to do is stop extinction of those we still have. Think about the salt marsh sparrow.

[@jennifers4528]

This is great footage! I've never seen a woodpecker nest before 💜

[@teresajohnson4166]

My grandson happened to see a huge oak snake in a hole inside a tree on our property. We stood there for a while watching the snake when this Pileated Woodpecker swooped down, pulled the snake out of the hole and proceeded to peck it until it fell to the ground. the woodpecker proceeded to come down and finish the job he started. I was lucky enough to catch it all on video. Amazing!

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Interesting story, thank you for sharing. Ye these birds are amazing. I wish I could find another nest but they few and far between.

[@teresamexico309]

So beautiful and tender "family life", thank you! I do place oranges (cut in half) in my little orchard and the woodpeckers love them too.

[@Deba7777]

Just beautiful, clear pics! Precious!

[@renko9067]

This amazing photography brought me much joy.

[@kimmvydareny8771]

Bravo!! Your technique as observed is flawless, IMO. Thank you so much.

[@Nulife23]

Wonderful to see this! We do have these come rhrough our property. They have such a distinct call.

[@rhodawatkins4516]

When I was little and would hear that wild cackling call off in the woods, I used to think it was a wild chicken or something out there somewhere.

[@jeffklein4848]

Yes--the northern flicker sounds like a less boisterous version

[@mikerichardson7261]

I used to see these wonderful birds quite often, but thanks to lots of development in my area, they're almost never around.

[@gingerhipszky228]

What an excellent and informative video of the incredible woodpeckers. Thank you!

[@cynthiamasse9596]

You fill my heart with joy each day you bring me your beautiful footage of our glorious nature...God bless you...💜

[@fredschroyer584]

Wow! Spectacular video! I deeply appreciate the visual quality, storytelling, music, and your dedication to video this family through a season. Masterful work!

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Thank you so much you obviously read the Description, some viewers fail to do that

[@rattyeely]

The babies are so cute! Also I love the backing music, very cool. Amazing video

[@landers3700]

Beautiful Film. Loved the Teaching (Markings of Male and Female Contrast on Head) Sound and Music. Thank You.

[@RUS38]

Their face always cracks me up😁 reminds me of an old cartoon from childhood.

[@sawatisbillings8759]

I've been so lucky and grateful to witness a family being raised in Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Nyaweh. Along with my son KASTAROKIO

[@johndenicola6173]

Nice video - both content and music. It fits. I've photographed a couple of Pileated Woodpeckers, one couple at their nest, feeding the youngsters, removing the fecal sacks from the nest. You've captured the incredible, sometimes comical behavior of the young. Nice job!

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Coming from an image maker like you, your comment is very much appreciated

[@dp.2766]

They Are Very Large! The reason they are rarely seen is that they live in unpopulated areas, (believe me, there’s a lot more than most folks think.) The ones I have seen are as large, or larger than a crow. Spectacular in fight, they can be heard in multiple directions simultaneously hammering on the dead branches and trunks of trees in many areas. If you are in an area that has roads, even logging roads, you will find that they make use of such pathways, so if you hear them just hang around the side of the road, and you will eventually get to see them. The pairs tend to fly together in the early to mid morning. Cool vid! 👍👍

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Good advise thank you. Gerry

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

I just love their calls !

[@ShelleeGraham]

Beautiful videography with lovely music. Enjoyed this very much. Thank YOU so much.

[@SailorGreen]

The babies look like little punks, I love it

[@dianarossman9167]

😂 Now that you mention it! Haha!!

[@jeanninegodwin2285]

This Woodpecker is huge! I had one in the woods behind my previous house and it was amazing to watch! It was working on several trees one after another; I do not know if it had a nest there; I only ever saw one Pileated Woodpecker there. As it works it sounds like a drill or machine! Took me awhile to figure out what was producing that sound!

[@viciouspoodle5543]

My next door neighbor, Julia, God rest her, called them the "AFFILIATED WOODPECKER"!

[@gus473]

Affiliated, amalgamated, associated, moustachioed: no matter what you call 'em, they still look and sound like Woody Woodpecker! Ha, ha, ha, HA, ha! 😉✌🏼

[@gailbowman1690]

That is so cute!

[@randygreen007]

😆

[@randygreen007]

@@gus473 aka wood hen

[@JustMe-vk4fn]

We have these in our neighborhood. Lovely birds. They sound like they're laughing.

[@pepperco100]

When I lived in rural Louisiana, I had a large huckleberry bush in my yard. It gave me great pleasure to watch a pileated woodpecker eating the ripe berries, sometime even hanging upside down.

[@FollowThomas]

Excellent footage, love the closeup views. Appreciate all the editing efforts. I know it takes a lot of work to create quality content.

[@stephenlassiter7089]

I see and hear them frequently. Never seen one at a feeder. I dare not breathe or budge when I do see one. This has been going on for 50 years. Thanks for the great video.

[@rlegato364]

I am blessed to have these in my area. It's amazing how fast they can excavate such a big cavity and I'm always fascinated by the size of the pile of wood chips at the base of the tree. Pound for pound, they give beavers a run for their money.

[@Steadfastly7]

We have a few pileated woodpeckers in the woods behind our home. Sometimes we see them in our yard and have been able to watch them at length. It's great to see them come back in decent numbers over that last number of years.

[@julissimo1]

What a lovely video! Thank you for the great footage and the music to go with it.

[@rosedages5477]

I am very lucky as these birds are prevalent in my area. I see them almost every day. Thank you for the video.

[@carolblaser5981]

What a beautiful video, thank you! I’ve only seen them from afar.

[@pilotmike7569]

Wonderful video, thank you for the great footage and interesting information!❤🐦😀

[@banglahealthcare24]

The sounds of birds chirping in this video are so serene and peaceful. It's like a natural lullaby.

[@bobbijo288]

This made me cry 😢 its so lovely and just incredibly beautiful 💕 God, I love all species and nature ❤

[@daniellehner1383]

Extraordinary and a very rare close up! Thanks for sharing. Kind Greetings from Switzerland.

[@tammiwhitacre3814]

Thank you for sharing! I have a pair of that visit my yard several times a day. I am constantly refreshing my suet feeders for them!

[@erikachiquis9580]

I actually have a male coming to my suet feeder. Along with a Northern flicker, Downy woodpecker and Hairy woodpecker. They are quite big and amazing. This video is awesome. To be able to see and record a whole family of them is amazing. Great job !

[@michelleburrage1251]

beautiful and stunning video....thank you for the time it took to make this....and for sharing. A birds-eye view to the raising of the chicks.

[@chrisa1160]

Nice video! I'm a still photographer who's used to lugging around heavy equipment, and can appreciate all of the time and effort that went into filming this little family. I'm sure it was worth it, though. They're beautiful birds. We have a pair that routinely visits our Ohio backyard, and they're just fascinating to watch. Thanks for sharing your work. :)

[@geraldkrausse6311]

I am glad you enjoyed it. There is more to come, please subscribe and thanks.

[@shimkonise357]

I get so excited when one comes to visit here in NH. They're amazing!

[@sharondejarnett4518]

Thank you for this wonderful video. We have a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers in our yard each year. They love the suet. I really enjoyed your video!

[@danamariefiori9168]

This video was amazing. I just happen to see 3 in my yard. I had no idea 🤷🏻‍♀️ So now I'm so curious to learn more. Thank you so much for sharing 😊

[@animals4k]

cute babies, one of the best and perfect birds high quality video

[@sandrag6863]

Such amazing video, I was looking up woodpecker sounds in swfl since I wasn't sure which one I heard this morning in my backyard and came across your video! Thank you for sharing

[@edgarsnake2857]

Great video. I live on a lake in Massachusetts and each year I have the treat of hearing and seeing these guys and gals. They're actually pretty easy to spot once you hear them close by. They're big and they make a lot of visual commotion when they move so if you're looking in the general direction of where you hear them, you'll usually see them. They all look like they have some swanky tuxedos on. They're pecking and cawing is surprisingly loud.

[@lisabednarz8223]

Thank you for your dedication. I watched this several months ago, and.I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I have a pair in the little forest behind my house - and I can’t get enough information about them. Your efforts are so incredibly appreciated! I would never be able to accomplish a view like like this...fascinating and beautiful.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

You are so kind, thank you very much

[@wranglerxx]

Fun and interesting to watch! Thank you very much for making this for everyone.

[@richardderr3020]

Thank you so much for this video. Just wonderful.

[@danherrmann8755]

Thanks. Great work. Sad to see the ivory wood pecker gone. The sounds are amazing.

[@stickshaker101]

Great video! It must have taken an awful lot of time and patience to make it. Thanks!

[@daveth121864]

Absolutely fantastic. Thanks for posting. You also helped clear up a few questions I had about our neighborhood family of pileated. :). Here on the west coast of Michigan, they seem to have just recently gotten active (defined by landing on my suet feeder).

[@judywooten5055]

Thank you! I enjoyed your video and look forward to seeing more. I always wondered how to tell the male and female apart.

[@gus473]

Easy way: males have the red moustache!

[@winnepeterson7740]

The male has a red streak on the sides of his head. Same streak on the female is black.

[@KB-ke3fi]

The females are much louder and chirp a lot more, lol

[@tofi21]

Beautiful. Thank you.

[@vipahman]

I live in a wooded lot and after watching them for about 15 years, I know know to watch out for bad trees by following their pecking sound. A couple of the trees away from my home have come down in a storm after being attacked by pileated woodpeckers. But if they were closer, I'd cut down the tree in winter of course. Beautiful birds. One of my favorites along with the cedar waxwing and the great horned owl.