Ivory-bill or Pileated

[Ozzy]

Yesterday at work I saw a woodpecker. I got closer and saw that it was huge. It was the size of large parrot. I got closer and my first thought was that it looked like the ivory billed woodpecker that was found in Arkansas earlier this year, but then I thought that's crazy, there's no way it could be one of them. I took some pics and this is the only one that shows the bird at all.

I took the pic with my phone and I knew it would be any help to identify it, so I made as many mental notes about it as I could. The mental notes I made were the size, red crest on a black head, and a white line running from mid body to the head.

I forgot to look it up last night so I did it tonight when I got home. The only two birds that I can find that looks even close to it are Ivory-bill or Pileated woodpeckers.

The first thing I did was typed "woodpecker North Carolina" in google. I was very surprised to see the fist thing that popped up was Ivory billed woodpecker. I clicked on the link and ford this pic and map.

Quote[/b] ]1. Atchafalaya Basin (Louisiana)
2. Santee River (South Carolina)
3. Altamaha River (Georgia)
4. Yazoo River (Mississippi)
5. Pascagoula River (Mississippi)
6. Suwannee/Withiacoochee/Ochloconee Rivers (Florida)

Where I saw this bird is less than 50 miles of the Santee River and well within the range of the map.

I wanted to look at other options so I kept looking to se if there was any other bird that looked like what I saw. That's when I found pics of the Pileated Woodpecker. I also found that the Pileated Woodpecker is native to this area.

I am not sure which one I saw. After all of my research online I can't rule out that it's an Ivory bill, but considering the chances of it being one is very remote, I'm leaning towards Pileated Woodpecker. Even though the markings that I remember lean towards the Ivory bill.

Any thoughts?

 

[JBL]

Where there white patches on the wings?  I didn't see that in your mental notes.   I found this description suggesting distinguishing features of the ivory-billed compared to pileated on the Arkansa Fish and Game website:

"White wing patches and a stripe down the side of its neck continuing down its back distinguish it from the Pileated Woodpecker, the only woodpecker that resembles the Ivory-billed Woodpecker."

Go to www.agfc.com/ivorybilled for more features such as bill color.

 

[Ozzy]

Joe, I'm not a bird person. At the time I didn't know what to look for to determine if it was an ivory bill. I didn't even think it was possible for it to be an Ivory bill. I just knew I was seeing a very cool looking woodpecker. I made mental notes to help me try to identify it later. When I was doing the research to identify the bird I came across the difference in the two birds. I'm sure it's still in the area and I'll be working there again today. I'll keep my eyes open for it and if I see it again, I'll know what to look for.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Wow...first you see a great blue heron and now possibly a pileated 'pecker. Pretty soon people will be calling you the Birdman of Alcatraz.

What will it be next...snipes??

 

[Ozzy]

Snipes are pretty common here. I saw four of them today. I have some in my back yard that I have feed and now will come and eat out of my hand.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Looks like you might need to go snipe hunting then. I heard its a lot of fun.

 

[Ozzy]

Hunting them are illegal, especially the ones that hang out at the bus station.

 

[Finch]

piliated are crow-sized. Infact, it seems to be adapting well in recent decades to suburban habitat as the tree landscape matures with a marked population increse as of late. Ivory-billed is arguably the second largest woodpecker in the world. The largest, the imperial, is extinct due to illegal logging in mexico.


Ivory-billed is similar in markings o pileated, wich belays their close relation
"Length: 15 inches
Very large (crow-sized) black and white woodpecker
Prominent red crest at rear of head
White throat
Entirely black body plumage at rest except a white line that extends from bill down sides of neck to upper flanks
In flight shows pale bases to primaries on upperwing and entirely white underwing covert "

I think the breding bird survey is the best  reflection of population desity and here it is for pileated.

from http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov

 

[aprilh]

Looks like a Pileated to me...Ivory Bills have huge white patches on their wings. Pileateds are nice, though!