Pileated Woodpecker
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Piciformes, Family: Picidae, Genus: Dryocopus, Species: D. pileatus
Family: Picidae (Woodpeckers and allies)
- Shape
- Slightly asymmetrical vane with a rounded and slightly worn tip, elongated contour typical of a sturdy flight feather, lacking major emargination.
- Size
- Approximately 7-9 inches long, consistent with a large woodpecker primary flight feather. Primaries for this species typically range from 6 to 9 inches.
- Rarity
- Common, though their secretive nature and preference for deep woods mean they are heard more often than seen.
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Description
The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest forest woodpecker in North America, measuring up to 19 inches long with a fiery red crest and striking black-and-white face patterns. Their flight is strong and deeply undulating, and they leave massive rectangular excavation holes in dead trees.
Colour & Pattern
Striking high-contrast pattern featuring a solid glossy black outer web and a stark white inner web with broad black barring, showcasing melanin-based pigmentation typical of the species' wing coverts and primaries.
Barb Structure
Tightly interlocked pennaceous structure on the outer vane, showing robust barbs with strong hooklets, and a semi-plumulaceous base near the calamus. The feather is mostly intact with minor fraying along the upper edge.
Texture & Surface
Stiff, smooth, and rigid along the pennaceous vanes with a glossy finish on the dark surfaces, providing the necessary strength for powerful wingbeats.
Key Features
Distinctive high-contrast black-and-white coloration split cleanly across the asymmetrical vanes, combined with the rigid, durable structure characteristic of large woodpecker flight feathers.
Habitat
Deciduous and mixed forests with a high density of mature trees and dead standing timber, which are essential for foraging and nesting.
Geographic Range
Resident across forested regions of North America, spanning from Canada down through the eastern United States and parts of the Pacific Coast.
Ecological Role
Acts as a primary forest ecosystem engineer by controlling wood-boring insect populations and creating essential nesting habitat for numerous other forest creatures.
Similar Species
Other large black-and-white birds such as the Red-headed Woodpecker or Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, though their feathers are significantly smaller and exhibit markedly different patterning.
Interesting Facts
Pileated Woodpeckers play a keystone role in forest ecosystems by excavating large cavities that are subsequently used by dozens of secondary cavity-nesting species, ranging from small owls to wood ducks.
Condition Notes
Good condition with minor wear and slight fraying at the extreme tip, typical of a naturally molted feather exposed to the elements before discovery.
Notes
Found in Burlington, VT