Pileated Woodpecker

Not counting the possibly extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the largest North American Woodpecker is the Pileated (Dryocopus pileatus). The word pileated refers to the red cap of feathers found from the bill to the nape of the Pileated's head. Otherwise the bird is all black with white stripes down the neck. Pileated Woodpeckers are active eaters of insects such as termites, carpenter ants, caterpillars, grasshoppers and cockroaches, as well as nuts and berries. They are strong strikers that can easily hollow out a nesting hole or search a tree for food.

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