Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) are one of the biggest, most striking forest birds in North America. They are nearly the size of a crow, black with bold white stripes down the neck, and a flaming-red crest. Look (and listen) for Pileated Woodpeckers whacking at dead trees and fallen logs in search of their main prey, carpenter ants, leaving unique rectangular holes in the wood. The nest holes these birds make offer crucial shelter to many species including swifts, owls, ducks, bats, and pine martens. Pileated Woodpeckers are mostly black with white stripes on the face and neck and a flaming-red crest. Males have a red stripe on the cheek. In flight, the bird reveals extensive white underwings and small white crescents on the upper side, at the bases of the primaries. Pileated Woodpeckers are forest birds that require large, standing dead trees and downed wood. Forests can be evergreen, deciduous, or mixed and are often old, particularly in the West. In the East they live in young forests as well and may even be seen in partially wooded suburbs and backyards. The male begins excavating the nest cavity and does most of the work, but the female contributes, particularly as the hole nears completion. The entrance hole is oblong rather than the circular shape of most woodpecker holes. For the finishing touches, the bird climbs all the way into the hole and chips away at it from the inside. Periodically the adult picks up several chips at a time in its bill and tosses them from the cavity entrance. Pileated Woodpeckers don’t line their nests with any material except for leftover wood chips. The nest construction usually takes 3-6 weeks, and nests are rarely reused in later years. Cavity depth can range from 10-24 inches. During a bird banding demonstration up to Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, a Pileated was caught, and the bander brought the bird over for people to see it and take photos. The proper way to hold birds is by the upper legs, and this male Pileated was hammering on the guys hand. Despite wearing a heavy leather glove, his hand had a bunch of little bruises from the beak.
There is a partially downed snag to the west of the cache that has the rectangular holes left by foraging Pileateds. The container is a camouflaged plastic jar containing a log book and swag. You will need to bring your own pen to sign the log.