I too have observed a Pilated eating Poison Ivy berries this in January
during the C & O Canal Count near the intersection of the Capital Crescent
Trail.  The bird hanging out on a swaying branch, struggling to get a good
foothold to get at the berries was a good show.


Denise Ryan
Chevery, MD


On 3/13/06, Speicher, James (NIH/NIAID) [E] <> wrote:
>
> Saw an interesting and, to me, comical sight this afternoon in Brunswick
> (MD).  While checking out/pricing some fencing, I heard a Pileated call from
> somewhere nearby.  It was in a locust (?) adjacent to the road between the
> cemetery and the CO-OP.  At first it was doing its normal woodpecker thing
> of checking out the tree for insects.  Then it flew to the neighboring tree
> that had a poison ivy vine in profusion growing up its trunk.  I watched
> fascinated while this "huge" bird spent the better part of five minutes
> chowing down on poison ivy berries.  I know birds eat these berries, but I
> always associated this proclivity with the "dinky" birds.  Just goes to
> show, you can learn something every day…
>
> Jim Speicher
> Jspeicher—at—niaid.nih.gov
> Rockville @work :(
> Broad Run_S. FRED Co @home :)
>



--
Denise Ryan
Cheverly, MD