Pileated Woodpeckers at Scherman Hoffman

 

  Male Pileated Woodpecker by Stephanie Punnett, Program Director

Female Pileated Woodpecker,  photo from NJ Audubon Collection

Male Pileated Woodpecker by Stephanie Punnett, Program Director

For the past few days, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers has been actively drilling holes into a large Sassafras tree located at the New Jersey Audubon’s Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary. Within the holes, the woodpeckers find carpenter ants and other food sources.

The pair consists of both a male and a female. The easiest way to distinguish between the genders is to look at the red feathers on the bird’s head. For males, they have a red crest at the back of the head as well as a red forehead. There is also a red streak that runs from the bill towards the back of the head and is commonly called the male’s “moustache.” Females only have the red crest at the back of the head.

Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest species of woodpecker in New Jersey and can be found in the state year-round. If the pair is drilling in the tree at the Sanctuary, they can’t be missed. The Sassafras is located on the right side of the driveway, right before the gate. They are most active in the early morning, but have been seen at other times too. Many birders and wildlife photographers have been frequenting the Sanctuary to observe and photograph the Pileated Woodpeckers.

The Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary is located at 11 Hardscrabble Road in Bernardsville. For more information about the Pileated Woodpeckers, please call 908-766-5787. More pictures of the bird can be found at the Scherman Hoffman Facebook page. To learn more about Scherman Hoffman visit www.njaudubon.org/centers/scherman.