Female pileated woodpecker
Table of contents
Open Table of contents
heading 1
Identifying Female Pileated Woodpeckers
The female pileated woodpecker is very similar in appearance to the male, but with a few key differences:
- The female has a black or gray forecrown, while the male’s red crest extends all the way down to the bill[1][2].
- Females lack the red “mustache” stripe on the cheek that males have[1][2].
- The female’s bill is slightly smaller and more slender compared to the male’s[2].
Despite these differences, the female is still a very large, mostly black woodpecker with a prominent red crest on the back of the head[3]. The white stripes on the face and neck are also present in females[2].
In flight, the female shows the same flashing white underwings and upperwing patches as the male[2]. Both sexes have the same distinctive, crow-like flight style[2].
Females are usually slightly smaller than males, but this size difference is not always obvious unless the birds are seen side-by-side[1]. The oldest known female pileated woodpecker was almost 13 years old[3].
While the male is responsible for most of the loud drumming and chiseling, females also drum and excavate nest cavities[3]. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young[3]. Females are very protective of the nest and will aggressively defend it from predators and intruders[3].
So in summary, the female pileated woodpecker is a large, black-and-white woodpecker with a red crest, lacking the red cheek stripe and with more black on the head compared to the male. But both sexes are impressive birds that play important roles in the forest ecosystem.
Citations:
[2] https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/photo-gallery
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pileated_woodpecker
[5] https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/pileated-woodpecker