Pileated visit

One of the advantages of living adjacent to a wooded area is the constant variety of birds that actually live near you. Yesterday, I was graced by the presence of a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. One was on a snag in the back yard, the other sat nearby on fencepost. So far, they haven't been brave enough to come to the feeders - at least not yet. I remember the first time I ever saw a Pileated up close. It was perched on the side of a tree in Atterbury near my home town. I was young and not an experienced birder at all. It kind of startled me when I realized how large it was.

Some interesting facts about this bird. Drumming on trees is done at 14.5-16.8 beats per second. Although monogamous, Pileateds sleep at night in nest cavities separately, each in its own roost. Their favorite food is carpenter ants. These birds are not migratory and they defend their territory year round, although they are somewhat tolerant of other species in the winter. The female lays 3-5 eggs that both adults incubate for 15-18 days, the male incubates at night and the female during the day.