Pileated Woodpecker Mini Original

Once you meet a pileated woodpecker, you never forget it! I met one on a random telephone pole in downtown Minneapolis, MN autumn of 2023, and was struck by how huge these woodpeckers really are. Though not a songbird, I hear them frequently in the woods and was inspired to draw them on canvas. From All About Birds:

“The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the biggest, most striking forest birds on the continent. It’s nearly the size of a crow, black with bold white stripes down the neck and a flaming-red crest. Look (and listen) for Pileated Woodpeckers whacking at dead trees and fallen logs in search of their main prey, carpenter ants, leaving unique rectangular holes in the wood. The nest holes these birds make offer crucial shelter to many species including swifts, owls, ducks, bats, and pine Martens.”

I chose to draw an adult with a juvenile peeking out of the tree, ready for their favorite food: carpenter ants!

Original mixed media on raw stretched canvas with maple float frame.