Homeschool Zoo Annex: Pileated Woodpeckers

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Pileated Woodpeckers

A note of interest...Today we saw two Pileated Woodpeckers in a tree in our yard. We rarely see these birds. They are very large - like as big as a chicken. They tend to stay away from populated areas, so it's a real treat to see them at all.

We see a lot of different kinds of birds where we live, in the foothills of the Ozarks in Arkansas. We get the annual migrations of birds such as geese and ducks, of course, flying overhead in their V formations. We also see cute little chickadees, yellow finches in the summer, tufted titmouses (which build their nests in the eaves of our small house), hummingbirds, and others. We even see all kinds of woodpeckers from the tiny to the well-recognized Red Headed Woodpecker. Of course, mockingbirds sing to us daily and cat birds make me think there is a brood of kittens somewhere on the place.

We watch red tailed hawks soar over the valley behind us in their relaxed splendor. They call out in what seems to be mid-ranged whistles during their flights.

The birds of this region are plentiful and are a great gift to many homeschoolers who go out birding. You don't need a lot of expensive equipment to do a little bird watching. A pair of field glasses, a field guide, maybe a camera for taking a few pictures...you might want to venture further and build a blind so you can get closer to the birds. It wouldn't be difficult to put together a camo tarp on tent poles, cutting some peep holes in it so you can view the birds. it doesn't have to be a permanent structure with a full lab and stainless steel backsplash. Just something simple to hang out in when you're wanting to see some interesting birds.