The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America, crow-sized with a flaming red crest and unmistakable loud, laughing call. It excavates large, rectangular cavities in dead trees to reach carpenter ant colonies, leaving distinctive oblong holes that become critical habitat for many other wildlife species. The cavities it creates are used by wood ducks, owls, and pine martens.
Best time to see a Pileated Woodpecker
The best time to see a Pileated Woodpecker is January–June, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 60,277 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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