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Woodpecker Houses |
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Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Dryocopus
Species: pileatus
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Gr. pikos woodpecker
La. picus woodpecker
Gr. Circe, mythological daughter
of Helios, changed Picus, son
of Saturn, into a woodpecker
La. forma form, shape, kind
Gr. drus tree
Gr. kopos cutter
La. pileum a cap
La. pileatus capped |
Pileated Woodpeckers are roughly seventeen
inches long. White head and throat with tall scarlet red crest feathers. A black streak
from the nostril, passing over the eyes to the back of the head and down over the
shoulders. A red line below the cheek. Black upper and lower parts. Black wings with
obscure white markings revealed in flight. Often mistaken for an Ivory-billed Woodpecker,
although not quite as large.
Inhabits forests throughout most of North America below 63 degrees latitude, except in the
southern Rocky Mountains.
Excavates nests from twenty to eighty feet in tall trees such as
oaks, sycamore, elms and pines. |
The Pileated Woodpecker
nest
box has a 10" by 10" floor, 24" inside ceiling, 4" diameter
entrance hole located 21" above the floor and ventilation openings. Assembled with
screws. Hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks for easy access.
Lays three to five white eggs which hatch after about two
weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another four weeks. |
Pileated Woodpecker Nestbox |
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Kestrels and Screech Owls may use this nest box.
Have a
professional mount this box with the entrance hole facing south or east 20 feet or higher
on a tree in forest edge, or grove. They seem to prefer south or east facing entrances.
Because they commonly excavate their own cavities, fill this box
full of wood chips.
Louis Agassiz
Fuertes Laws Protecting Pileated Woodpeckers
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