Spotting the Pileated Woodpecker

As a nature photographer, there are few sights more thrilling than spotting the impressive Pileated Woodpecker in the wild. These striking black birds with their flaming red crests are true icons of mature forests across Arkansas and beyond.

I was fortunate enough to photograph Pileated Woodpeckers twice in recent months – first at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oklahoma on April 30th, and then right in my own neighborhood in Arkansas.

The first sighting was along the auto tour road at Sequoyah NWR. I spotted a Pileated working intently on a dead tree stump, undoubtedly excavating to find insects within the decaying wood. With its large size and powerful hammering, Pileated Woodpeckers are often described as being able to jackhammer into trees.

Just days later, I was delighted to find another Pileated industriously searching up and down the trunk of a pine tree in my neighbor’s backyard. Being able to observe and photograph such a magnificent bird practically from my own doorstep was a real treat.

At nearly crow-sized, with striking black bodies, white stripes, and brilliant red crest, Pileated Woodpeckers always make an unforgettable impression when spotted in the woods or suburbs. Their distinctive loud, raucous calls and double-rap drumming on trees announce their presence from a distance.

These iconic woodpeckers play an incredibly important role in Arkansas forests. As primary excavators, they create nesting cavities that many other species rely upon after the Pileated moves on, earning them the distinction as a “keystone” species.

While historically threatened by habitat loss, Pileated Woodpecker populations have rebounded in many areas as forests regrow and mature trees become more available. With any luck, these remarkable woodpeckers will continue entertaining birders and photographers across The Natural State for generations to come.