The featured bird for May 2023 is a Pileated Woodpecker.
The Pileated Woodpecker is an extraordinarily large woodpecker – about as big as a crow. Or as big as a duck, if you ask me.
Family: Picidae
Species: Dryocopus pileatus
Length: 16 – 19 in (40-49 cm)
Wingspan: 26 – 29 in (66-75 cm)
Weight: 8.8 – 12.3 oz (250-350 g)
Considering how large the Pileated Woodpecker is, it’s no surprise that when they’re whacking a tree or metal roof or chimney, it’s louder than any other woodpecker. If you’ve ever wondered if woodpeckers aren’t clever enough to tell apart a tree from a metal chimney, be assured they know chimneys don’t provide food but help them communicate to potential mates even more loudly and effectively. And no, they’re not trying to annoy you or destroy your house.
This photo I took as I was getting out of the car in front of my house, right after being at Fort DeSoto where I had just taken the cover photo for the 2023 calendar of the White Morph Reddish Egret. So I conveniently had my camera in the seat next to me with the long lens. Very fortunate because I had been wanting to capture this bird for as long as I have lived in Florida – and only saw it in parks when I didn’t have a decent camera. This day, it waited for me at home.
2023 St. PetersBird Calendar
Luxurious press-printed monthly poster calendar featuring 13 bird photos by Luci Westphal.