From David Lytwynec
Today I learned that Pileated Woodpeckers, while hunting for insects, will place an ear next to the surface of a tree, listening for insects moving under the bark.
It’s not a great picture, but it does document what I observed.
Ellicott City, 10/17/2026.
I didn’t know this either. I thought they just looked for likely spots and did some trial and error.
Here is a good article about the ways they listen and locate their prey if you’d like some more details.
The Nuttal’s are new to me. I like the spots on the chest.
I have Downeys and Red-bellied. I’ve only seen one Flicker in my yard, but we get a couple in the clinic each year, so they’re around somewhere.