A few weeks ago while wandering through Kensington Metropark in Milford, Michigan, I stumbled upon a rather unique creature…The elusive Pileated Woodpecker. These birds are quite rare to see for the simple fact that a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers require more than 100 acres of forest area for settling. Once spotted, its maniacal call allows one to easily keep track of this bird’s whereabouts. After chasing this bird throughout the park for about an hour, it finally came to rest for a short while to get some nutrition. This video footage demonstrates an appreciation of the foraging techniques of the Pileated Woodpecker. The sheer velocity of the beak’s penetration makes me wince. It’s dagger-shaped bill and sheer determination allows it to to chisel out rectangular cavities during its endless pursuit for ants and grubs. These cavities represent an important contribution to our ecosystem. Once these cavities are abandoned by the woodpecker, several other species will reside here, including owls, ducks and small falcons.
