![]() Vaux), which the young man pronounced as “VAUXS,” rather than VOHS (the French pronunciation of the name), Swift. Many years ago, at an American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU) meeting, a young man gave a presentation of his research on the Vaux’s Swift (named after William S. (not an Oklahoma bird) has an interesting story related to it that indicates what a slippery slope pronunciation can be. Speaking of pronunciation, the Vaux’s Swift of the far western U.S. Plover can be PLO-ver or (the more British-sounding) PLUHV-er. For the Pileated Woodpecker pronunciation is correct as either “PIE-lee-ay-tid” or “PILL-ee-ay-tid,” which is a relief to me and likely others who fumble around with this question from time to time. Checking on the internet, I see that it IS pronounced “BU-ick” (as in the car), not “BEE-wick.” This brings to mind several other pronunciation challenges that have to do with bird names. Explore solutions to keep birds from hitting windows.When I think of Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii), usually about the first thing that comes to mind is pronunciation. Although it remains widespread and fairly common, this bird faces the same threats as less-adaptable species, particularly predation by cats and collisions with glass.ĪBC has a number of programs in place to reduce these threats, including our Cats Indoors program, which encourages pet owners to keep cats and birds safe, and our Glass Collisions program. The Pileated Woodpecker is surprisingly tolerant of human changes to the landscape and has adapted well to suburban and even urban habitats - as long as there are enough mature trees and snags for nesting and feeding. Pileated Woodpeckers supplement their insect diet with fruits and nuts, and will visit backyard suet feeders, to the delight of human observers. It creates characteristic rectangular holes as it digs out ant nests (unlike its round nest holes), and smaller birds such as the Carolina Wren often visit these excavations to seek exposed insects the Pileated overlooked. Carpenter Ant ConnoisseurĮver the master excavator, the Pileated Woodpecker makes good use of its strong, chisel-shaped bill to dig into dead trees and fallen logs in search of its main foods, carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae. ![]() The big woodpeckers sometimes tolerate smaller birds, such as Chimney Swifts, sharing their nesting cavities. Nest cavities are rarely reused by the Pileateds, but the holes provide crucial nesting and roosting places for many other bird species, including the Wood Duck, Eastern Bluebird, and Eastern Screech-Owl, as well as bats, raccoons, and other mammals. Both incubate the eggs and feed the chicks, which fledge after about a month, then remain dependent on their parents for several months more. Both sexes hammer out the site, and can often be observed tossing beakfuls of wood chips from the nest hole as they dig. Pileated Woodpeckers also excavate nesting cavities, usually around 50 feet up in large dead trees. Even if they use the same tree, each bird has its own roosting cavity - probably because their large size would make sharing a cavity an uncomfortable proposition! Roost trees tend to have multiple entrances to allow birds to escape predators. Photo by Collins93, ShutterstockĪlthough Pileated Woodpecker pairs share a territory throughout the year, male and female birds roost separately at night. Or does it perhaps sound like a ramped-up Acorn Woodpecker? You make the call - compare Woody with both species below! Lantz's wife Gracie suggested that Walter make a cartoon character of the bird - and so Woody was created.īut credit is due to to the Pileated Woodpecker as well: Woody's shaggy red top-knot much more closely resembles a Pileated Woodpecker, and the cartoon character's characteristic laugh, originally voiced by Mel Blanc of Warner Brothers fame, sounds more like a Pileated Woodpecker's call as well. It turns out that the popular mid-20th century cartoon character Woody Woodpecker was actually inspired by a persistent Acorn Woodpecker that staged a cameo during animator Walter Lantz's honeymoon, calling and drumming at the couple's cabin. The cartoon connection is a bit more involved. Why is the bird is named “pileated?” There's a simple reason behind that: It derives from the Latin pileatus, meaning "capped." Just one glance at this bird's bright crest explains the name. In the United States, only the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, likely extinct, was bigger. This is the largest of North American woodpeckers. With flashing black-and-white wings and a bright red crest, when a crow-sized Pileated Woodpecker swoops by, even the most experienced birders stop in their tracks. Map by Birds of the World, maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Pileated Woodpecker is resident across its range.
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