This morning Ira Simone and I observed a 3rd baby Pileated Woodpecker. 

The whole feeding process took 1 hour 8 minutes (start time: 8:35 am, finish time: 10:03 am). After arriving at the location and within about five minutes we saw the male Pileated Woodpecker fly to a nearby dead snag to the left of the nest hole. He was on the snag filling up for approximately 40-50 minutes. During this time, we heard drumming coming from across the lake and eventually to the right of us a far off a bit of drumming and a whacka-whacka call.

Around the 50 minute mark, to the right of us we heard a louder whacka-whacka call. The male then started moving to other trees still in the direct vicinity of the nest hole. Eventually, he moved to the tree with the female. At approximately 10:00 a.m., the female flew to the lower part of the snag with the nest hole and made her way up to the nest hole. 

We had been seeing one baby throughout the whole time peaking out from the nest hole. After the loud whacka-whacka call, which seemed to tell them to "get ready we're coming", we saw the two young.  The female fed and then left, but the babies were all at the nest hole wanting more. Next the male came into feed them and we saw three bills - there is a 3rd baby!

The biggest/dominant baby was the most demanding and upfront. It seemed both the parents were trying to not feed the biggest/dominant one, by pushing him aside and then feeding another one. The 3rd baby was definitely the smallest and got fed last.

It was all over in a matter of seconds it seemed. Neither of the parents entered the nest hole and exited with what seemed to be refuse as we observed previously. Maybe they came back, but we didn't wait around. Standing in one place and waiting for an hour takes a toll on a body.

Marcy Stutzman
Russett, MD


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