Stump Breaker
At first, it's hard to believe that such a big, loud, and demanding prescence calls our woods home.
February 6, 2025
At first, it's hard to believe that such a big, loud, and demanding prescence calls our woods home. You might hear loud drumming or a "kuk-kuk-kuk" sound, or notice rectangular excavations in trees made while searching for carpenter ants, before catching a glimpse of the real culprit – the Pileated Woodpecker.
About the size of a crow, the Pileated is our largest local woodpecker (and the 6th largest worldwide). Both males and females have a bright red crest, while only males sport a red stripe on their cheeks.
The Pileated has adapted well to suburban areas with plenty of tree cover. I've seen them breaking stumps many times on morning dog walks around our neighborhoods.
As a "keystone species," the Pileated creates many large tree cavities that other species use for roosting, nesting, and finding food. These cavities also help speed up the decay of large woody debris earning them the nickname "stump breaker."
Seeing them at the park shows that our local ecosystem is healthy. We should keep working to improve this delicate balance and protect it from falling apart.
iNaturalist map of Pileated Woodpecker sightings at Anson B. Nixon Park
