The Day Pileated Woodpeckers Took Over Our Backyard
I hear Pileated Woodpeckers in our backyard fairly often.
Sometimes I'll catch one flying overhead. Other times I'll spot one high in the trees or hear their loud, unmistakable calls echoing through the neighborhood. They're always exciting to see, but after a while you come to recognize their presence as part of life in the backyard.
One morning, I heard one calling like usual while I was outside. I listened for a minute, smiled to myself, and went back inside to finish what I was doing, assuming there was probably just one nearby.
A little while later, I realized I could still hear it, so I walked over to our sliding glass door to see if I could spot it. Hanging onto the trunk of one of the trees was a beautiful Pileated Woodpecker. I stood there watching for a few moments, enjoying the view. Then another one came into sight.
Seeing two together felt unusual enough that I started debating whether I should grab my camera. My first thought was, They're going to be gone before I get back. Birds have a way of disappearing the second I leave the room. Still, seeing two Pileated Woodpeckers together felt too special not to take the chance.
I hurried to get my camera, expecting I'd come back to an empty tree. Instead, both woodpeckers were still there.
As I started filming, I noticed a third Pileated Woodpecker. Wait... there's another one? Within minutes, I realized this was becoming something much bigger than I'd imagined.
Woodpeckers were flying from tree to tree across the backyard. Their calls seemed to be coming from every direction, and every so often I'd hear the powerful sound of wings as another bird flew overhead. They chased one another through the trees, landed on trunks throughout the yard, and filled the morning with activity.
I remember thinking, Where are all of these Pileated Woodpeckers coming from? Then another thought crossed my mind. I wonder if some of these are fledglings. It was the only explanation that made sense.
When I zoomed in with my camera, I got my answer. Several of them were fledglings.
I'd watched Pileated Woodpeckers visit our backyard for years, but I'd never had the chance to watch an entire family moving through together. Realizing so many of them were fledglings suddenly made everything click. The constant calling, the chasing, and all of the activity I'd been watching weren't random at all. I was witnessing parents guiding their young birds through the backyard.
One of the fledglings gave me a moment that still makes me smile. I was trying to get a nice close-up photograph when it suddenly turned and looked straight toward my camera. It only lasted a second, but it felt like we had acknowledged each other before it went right back to following the rest of its family through the trees.
This curious Pileated Woodpecker fledgling gave me one of my favorite moments of the morning when it looked straight toward my camera.
By the time the woodpeckers finally moved on, I had spent well over fifteen minutes outside filming them, and they had been around even longer than that. What started as a completely ordinary morning ended up becoming one of the most memorable wildlife experiences I've had in our own backyard.
Watching for Family Groups
If you enjoy birdwatching, late spring and early summer can be one of the most rewarding times to spend a few extra minutes outside.
This is when many young birds have recently left the nest and are following their parents as they learn where to find food, recognize potential dangers, and navigate the world around them. Instead of seeing a single bird pass through, you may suddenly find an entire family moving together.
If you hear repeated calls coming from the same area or notice much more activity than usual, it can be worth lingering a little longer before heading back inside. What first seems like one bird may turn out to be something much more special.
If you're fortunate enough to spot fledglings, giving them plenty of space helps them continue learning and interacting naturally with their parents. Watching from a respectful distance lets you enjoy the experience without interrupting an important stage of their lives.
I've watched Pileated Woodpeckers in our backyard for years, and every sighting has been exciting. But this experience was different.
Seeing an entire family together gave me the chance to witness a part of their lives I'd never seen before, right at home. Experiences like this are why I never get tired of spending time in the backyard. Just when I think I know what to expect, nature has a wonderful way of surprising me.
Want to see the Pileated Woodpecker family in action? I was fortunate enough to capture much of this incredible morning on video, including several of the fledglings. You can watch it here:
