Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker | Photo by Gary Seloff

The largest woodpecker in North America makes its home in the Coastal Flatwoods Forest along Armand Bayou. Pileated woodpeckers are crow-sized birds which require large dead standing trees as part of their habitat. Those dead trees support hardwood boring beetle grubs which comprise a large part of the birds’ diet. Those dead standing trees are also required as nesting habitat, where the woodpecker hollows out a cavity to raise its young. Seldom seen in neighborhoods due to the lack of large dead trees, they are common at ABNC.