When woodpeckers go to work ‘drilling’ for the insects they rely on for food, we can clearly see that they do significant damage to the surfaces of the trees they peck.   Observing this behavior, it’s a reasonable question to ask: “Are woodpeckers bad for trees?”.

In this article, we’ll be answering this question using data that biologists and arborologists have discovered. Hopefully, in learning more about the ‘true’ damage that woodpeckers cause, you can develop a newfound appreciation for these fascinating and resourceful birds.

So, are woodpeckers bad for trees?  Woodpeckers do minor damage to individual trees but are extremely critical in helping a forest stay healthy.  So, overall, woodpeckers are highly beneficial for trees as a whole.  Let’s take a closer look at why!

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Throughout the eastern United States and even into parts of the Pacific Northwest, the Pileated Woodpecker is a common sight. This striking bird is very large—arguably reaching ‘crow size’ territory—with many observers reporting sizes that might surprise you.

So, how big is a Pileated Woodpecker? In this article, we’ll be exploring the wide variety of Pileated Woodpecker sizes, starting from when this bird hatches to when it reaches full maturity.

Photo Credit: Andy on Flickr

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They perch on the sides of dead or dying trees, and if you’re lucky, you might occasionally find one battering away at a section of wood, as woodpeckers are known to do. This is a bird that looks unlike any other: of course, we’re talking about the Pileated Woodpecker.

Also known as Dryocopus pileatus, the Pileated Woodpecker would have been a much more common sight just a few hundred years ago, when this bird enjoyed abundant access to heavily forested areas throughout the eastern United States. However, in the 18th and 19th century, large swaths of wood clearing contributed to the sharp reduction of Pileated Woodpecker populations. Recently, though, their numbers have seen a healthy rise, making them an increasingly popular bird to look for when outside.

Today, if you’re fortunate enough to spot one, you’ll be able to identify it by it’s pinpointed head plumage and bold streaks of red, black, and white—the immediately identifying traits of this iconic bird. Once you’ve located one, you might find yourself thinking, “What do these birds eat?”.

Photo Credit: Charles de Millie-Isles on Flickr

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The red headed woodpecker is one of my absolute favorite birds.  I think I like them so much because they are the perfect combination of stunning beauty with a bad attitude that guys find irresistible.

Red headed woodpeckers are interesting in that they always attract tremendous attention from bird watchers but not much is actually known about them.  I did a little research and came up with some interesting facts and observations about these beautiful birds.

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Many a backyard birder has been driven batty in their attempt to keep squirrels out of their bird feeders.  I thought some folks might find it interesting to see the five step approach I use that is highly effective.

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