The Pileated Woodpecker – red crest extending from forehead to nape, large black bill, scarlet mustache, white chin, white line from base of bill crosses face to back of neck and extends down neck to side and has a solid black back.

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Added to my Birding Life List on 09/21/98

(Beach Number Four, Washington)

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Pileated Woodpeckers:

• drum on trees and logs to claim territory and attract a mate

• the male roosts in the nesting cavity before the eggs are laid and afterward, incubates them there at night

• bore deep into trees, dig on the ground and on fallen logs for food

• eat ants, beetles and a variety of other insects, acorns, beechnuts, seeds of tree cones, other nuts and various fruits

• are common to fairly common in the Southeast

• vulnerable to habitat loss and forest fragmentation

• have adapted to habitat changes

• compete for excavated nesting cavities with European Starlings

• **information above taken from Smithsonian handbooks, Birds of North America**

The photo above shows our backyard from April 6th to April 10th. This is a beautiful Texas State Park located in San Felipe, which is about 20 miles west of Katy, Texas and it is a terrific place to see birds.

While there we saw the Tufted Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, Black Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Common Ground Dove, Wood Duck, Red-winged Blackbird, Chipping Sparrow, Carolina Wren, Mourning Dove, American Crow, Northern Cardinal and Indigo Bunting.

Notice the felled trees in the background on the right of the photo above;  this is where the Pileated was when we pulled into our site. It was a nice welcome!

Just as I am! Every Friday you may participate in Feathers on Friday at Prairie Birder.

Here is Charlotte’s Blog web-site:

http://prairiebirder.wordpress.com

This is another great Blog to learn about Birds!

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Enjoy Birdwatching!

It can be entertaining as well as educational!

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