Pileated Woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker is a crow-sized bird, the largest woodpecker in most of North America. It is nearly all black with a flaming red crest and white stripes on the face and neck. Its flight is powerful and undulating, showcasing massive white underwing patches that match this feather's pattern.

Deep sooty black to brownish-black base with large, distinct white patches on the inner vane. This creates the 'white underwing flash' seen when the bird is in flight.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous structure for most of the vane to provide lift and flight stability; plumulaceous (downy) barbs are visible near the base of the calamus.

Central rachis is thick, rigid, and dark (blackish) on the upper side, becoming slightly lighter on the underside. Barbs are densely packed and angled steeply toward the tip.

Relatively stiff and smooth. The surface has a slight waxy or semi-glossy finish typical of woodpecker flight feathers, designed for durability against wood contact.

Outer wing primary. The strong asymmetry and curved rachis indicate a feather near the wing tip, designed to cut through the air during powerful undulating flight.

Bold black-and-white contrast on a large, stiff primary feather; the white patch does not extend to the tip or the outer edge of the leading vane.

Found in mature deciduous or coniferous forests with large, standing dead trees (snags) for nesting and foraging. Also found in woodlots and suburban areas with old growth.

Year-round resident across much of the eastern United States, the Great Lakes region, Canada's boreal forests, and the Pacific Northwest down to California.

Primary cavity nester and keystone species; they provide essential habitat for secondary cavity nesters and help control forest insect populations.

Northern Flicker feathers are smaller with yellow or red shafts; Ivory-billed Woodpecker feathers (extremely rare/extinct) have white on different portions of the wing.

Pileated Woodpeckers create large, rectangular holes in trees while searching for carpenter ants. These excavations are so large they often provide nesting cavities for many other species once abandoned.

Woodpecker feathers have historical significance in various Native American cultures, often symbolizing hard work and persistence. In modern times, they are subjects of intense interest for forest management studies.

Look for these feathers near large standing dead trees with rectangular cavities. They are most commonly found during the post-breeding molt in late summer and early fall.

Good condition. There is minor fraying along the edges of the barbs and some separation near the tip typical of a molted feather (wear from use).