Photo Share: Male Pileated Woodpecker feeding on tree

There is some confusion on how to pronounce "pileated". Some lean toward "PIE-lee-ate-ed", while others say "PILL-ee-ate-ed". Both pronunciations are accepted. The term "pileatus" is taken from the Latin "pileatus" meaning "capped" alluding to the the brilliant scarlet crest of feathers on the top of its head.

The Pileated Woodpecker is Michgan's largest woodpecker at sixteen and a half inches in length and a wingspan up to 30 inches. Its size, sleek black back and wings, offset by a red crest, are obvious field marks. The males have a characteristic red "mustache", which is actually a stripe near the beak. The female's stripe is black. Another distinct field mark is the large white area under its wing which is viewed when the bird is in flight.

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