![]() Grab some good binoculars or a birding scope and you’ll be identifying these birds quickly. Identifying markings: Adults have a bright crimson head, black back, large white wing patches and a white belly. Females have a gray-black forecrown, a flame-red crest, but lack the red streak along the cheek that the males possess. While both sexes appear very similar from a distance, a key distinction is the red streak along the cheek of the male. ![]() Pileated woodpeckers are common in Michigan and Sleeping Bear Dunes and with a little work, it’s not difficult to distinguish between male and female birds. The largest surviving species is the great slaty woodpecker, which weighs 430 g (15 oz) on average and up to 563 g (19.9 oz), and measures 45 to 55 cm (18 to 22 in), but the extinct imperial woodpecker, at 55 to 61 cm (22 to 24 in), and ivory-billed woodpecker, around 48 to 53 cm (19 to 21 in) and 516 g (18.2 oz), were probably both larger. Dead or dying trees (snags) on your property may attract the bird and they have been known to visit bird feeders. Look for Pileated Woodpeckers in stands of mature forest with plenty of dead trees and downed logs-deep excavations into rotten wood are telltale signs of this species. Take a walk through any Michigan forest and you’ll more than likely notice these distinctive holes. These holes actually serve as shelter for other animals such as screech owls, chickadees, wood ducks and bats. These large woodpeckers average about 17 inches in length from beak to tail, have a wingspan of 28 inches, and weigh about 10 ounces. The result are unique rectangular holes left in the wood. Pileated Woodpeckers are often described as crow-sized, similar in length and mass to the fish crow of the southeastern United States. Pileated woodpeckers feed mostly on Carpenter ants and can be seen and heard whacking at dead trees and fallen logs in search of prey. Signs of these birds in the Michigan forests are all around. Generally the size of a crow, they have a 30 inch wingspan and have been measured at 15.7 to 19.3 inches long. ![]() Easily recognized by it’s black body, white stripes down the neck and most notably, its fiery red crest, this woodpecker is one of the largest woodpecker in the world. There are a bunch of other ways to attract woodpeckers such as getting a bird bath and planting native trees that woodpeckers love.In mid winter, with the foliage from the beech, oak, maple and other deciduous trees gone, a wintering bird in Michigan can be more easily seen The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). While you’re at it, do make sure to read our full guide on what to feed woodpeckers, too – as getting their diet right will make a lot of difference! Setting up a woodpecker feeder or two is the best way to guarantee that woodpeckers will visit your yard. Then, we’d recommend reading our buyer’s guide on choosing the best woodpecker feeder. If you’re keen to start spotting woodpeckers in your yard, why not take a look at our guide on how to attract woodpeckers? That’ll give you the basics of what’s required to attract woodpeckers. Some may not flock to gardens and backyards in favor of forests and woodland reaches – however, there’s a chance a rare bird or two may make its way to you. Want to see more woodpeckers in your backyard?Īs you can see, there are more than a few wonderful woodpecker species to look out for across Wisconsin. How to Attract Wisconsin Woodpeckers to Your Yard
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