The Woodpecker: Tree Service Professional

Woody Woodpecker is Just a Cartoon

The fame of one two-dimensional woodpecker has resulted in something of a phenomenon: people will use the word pileated in conversation.

The word refers to the red crest of the bird, from the Latin pileatus, which means capped.  Pileated woodpeckers are strikingly beautiful and hard to miss.  If you don’t see that bright red, you will definitely hear the rat-a-tat of that beak drilling into a tree trunk.  A longer lower beak reduces the strain that might otherwise be put on the bird’s head.  And, a hyoid bone wraps around the woodpecker’s skull to like a seatbelt to further protect the brain.  That’s why a woodpecker can strike a tree about 20 times per second yet no one has ever seen one of these guys at the pharmacy buying aspirin.

Real woodpeckers are much more amazing, and useful, than the televised version.

What Do Woodpeckers Do?

A woodpecker is doing what the name says, drilling into wood to find its food in the form of insects and tree sap.  The work it does to survive results in useful information for homeowners.  In essence, the woodpecker is a tree service professional, providing help just like your favorite arborist.

The birds don’t necessarily kill a tree.  A healthy specimen won’t be nearly as bothered by the jackhammering as you will be.  (That sound does get on the nerves after a while.)  And while the birds will remove some bark to access a meal, a healthy tree can easily survive.

However, a woodpecker’s preference for your trees might indicate a very real problem.  Trees can appear to be in good shape, producing foliage after winter’s harsh temperatures and winds.  Bark can appear unblemished and hide a sickly or even rotting trunk.  A woodpecker might be the first sign you have that insects are deep inside, eating the weakened tree from the inside.  The next sign you receive might be that tree unable to withstand a storm, falling on your lawn or, worse, house, garage, or car.

What Should You Do When You See a Woodpecker?

Take a photo.  They’re very pretty birds and really awesome to watch for a few moments (before the sound becomes annoying).

You can also take a little inspiration from a woodpecker.  They can see value in something like a dead tree and find life within it.  Trees are wonderfully generous, giving so much throughout their long lives and for decades after that.

Then call your favorite arborist, the human version.  There are ways to tell if a tree has been singled out because of illness and if that tree can be saved but that comes with experience.  An arborist with years of tree service experience can usually tell if a tree is going to be strong and healthy for years to come — or not.  Without that know-how, the only sure way to learn the health of a tree is to cut it down and look inside.  Then, you’ll know how old it was and if you should have done that.  But, it’d be too late for a good tree.

Enjoy the birds and thank them for their service to our trees.  Call Gerry and Brian for more information.