Pileated Woodpecker Symbolism
Photo of a Female Pileated Woodpecker in tree with grey and blue in the background by naturearchaeologist
Updated 2022.05.09 and in this post, I discuss the symbolism of the Pileated Woodpecker.
What is the metaphysical meaning of a Pileated Woodpecker?
Pileated Woodpeckers are one of my favorite birds and in this post, we’re going to discuss Pileated Woodpecker Symbolism.
I've talked about them in other posts like Signs From Spirit! Does My Father Visit Me As A Cardinal? that I figured now would be a great time to talk about them individually.
With so much going on in the human world, it can be easy to forget that we are part of a much larger ecosystem of beings. These beings all interact with us, support us, and communicate messages to us every day.
We are often so concerned about our survival. The messaging around us seems to be always telling us we need to be, that occasionally, we can lose track of what is happening right around us.
The drumbeat of the Pileated Woodpecker is the perfect sound that can bring you back into the here and now.
Common in older deciduous forests and tree stands, Pileated Woodpeckers love old trees. They can be seen at forest edges, though more frequently, you hear them first before you see them.
After being represented and honored so well in the Woody The Woodpecker original cartoon series that ran from 1957-1958, they became the icon of all Woodpecker species.
Pileated Woodpeckers, also known as Dryocopus pileatus, are the largest of all woodpecker species. They are best known for their drum call, which you can hear on the Audubon Website or on Cornell's All About Birds Site.
They also have a yelling cluck that can be heard throughout the forest.
I've found their calls, being so loud and so distinctive, help us get back into the moment, especially when on a walk in the woods.
Hearing the call of the Pileated Woodpecker echo through the forest brings you out of your mind, and back into the present. It's so loud it can cut through your consciousness in a way that is unlike most other birds.
It reminds you of where you are, and the steady determination energy all Woodpeckers carry is with you to move through it.
When you see a Pileated Woodpecker, they tend to symbolize
Image: Female Pileated Woodpecker against winter tree by naturearchaeologist
Determination
Steady work towards a goal
Loyalty
Presence
Woodpeckers tend to work at a project until they get it. They do so at a rhythmic pace, and they also tend to return to the same spots year after year, with the same mates, so they tend to represent steadiness, loyalty, and progress.
If you are someone who tends to run until you burn out or has been wanting to give up lately, the Pileated Woodpecker may appear to you.
Pileated Woodpeckers tend to show up in your life when
Photo of Pileated Woodpecker in shagbark tree with blue sky and branches in background by ALM Staff
You need determination and steady progress to reach a goal
You tend to be shy and need to be drawn out of the woods to make progress
You are igniting old opportunities in life to create something new
Some people feel these Woodpeckers also symbolize that it's time to follow your own rhythm of life, and cast off the rhythms put on you by other people.
I like this idea. And I find it especially important today when it seems like everyone outside of you is willing to tell you the best way to live. They also represent the element of water, so spiritually, they tend to guide those they appear to, towards a more intuitive way.
You may like to meditate on Pileated Woodpeckers when
Photo of Pileated Woodpecker with crest spiked in shagbark tree with light blue sky and brown nature in background by ALM Staff
Completing a long-term goal or project
Developing stability in your everyday life
Needing a bit of a push out of your comfort zone
If you'd like to see more of these birds, after years of searching for them elusively, I've had success the past few years in drawing them out of the forest and photographing them.
Their diet consists mostly of insects from trees, and I have personally been able to draw them out of the forest with mealworms, unsalted roasted peanuts, and suet cakes.
To call them in, I've gotten my yard Audubon Backyard Certified and try to keep habitat for them they like, and you can do that too.
Pileated Woodpeckers tend to be human-shy birds, preferring to watch and observe from a distance, staying high up in the treetops. Being relatively large birds, it's easy to spot them flying high amongst the trees.
However, getting to see one up close and personal is quite nice, too.
Thankfully you can get them down to human-level with a little bit of time, trust, and good food.
So here are a few tips for seeing a Pileated Woodpecker up-close -
Tips for viewing a Pileated Woodpecker Up-close
Female Pileated Woodpecker eating in tree by naturearchaeologist
Become a familiar and frequent face in their environment, birds do remember those they encounter regularly and can warm up to you. Their trust that you are safe and regular makes it more likely they'll appear in front of you.
Live or visit an old deciduous forest in their native area. Preferably one with dead standing trees such as a wetland or a common forest area that isn't overly maintained.
Spend time on the forest's edge observing. This is where the highest biodiversity of the forest is, and it's where lots of food exists for wildlife. You tend to get lots of sightings here; also, there are fewer tree branches in the way of a good photo.
If you have permission, provide food and habitat the birds like. This one likes insects and big fatty pieces of food. I occasionally supplement with mealworms, suet, and unsalted roasted peanuts usually available in the grocery store.
Watch for birds coming out of the forest in advance of storms to stock-up on food.
If you live somewhere with extreme weather, this is one of the benefits of having such meteorological events.
Animals typically will come out of the forest in advance of storms to find food. You'll be able to catch rare wildlife sightings where you otherwise wouldn't have when watching during these times.
Big snowstorm tonight? Tropical event? Birds start to sense that in the hours before. So in the mid-afternoon before a storm later that night is when you might be able to catch one of the more shy birds coming out of the forest, including Pileated Woodpeckers.
What’s the metaphysical meaning of seeing a Pileated Woodpecker? Pileated Woodpecker Symbolism - The Symbolism Of The Pileated Woodpecker text overlay photo of pileated woodpecker from side perspective on tree snag by naturearchaeologist
So To Recap
Pileated Woodpeckers symbolize loyalty, determination, and steady work towards a goal.
They show up as a Spirit Animal when embarking on a project that will take some time to signify that loyalty, hard work and determination will get the job done.
You can improve your chances of seeing one by providing habitat features they enjoy. Leave old tree stands that are safe, offer fatty insect-based food or plant flowers, trees and shrubs that attract these foods.
On days when everything seems to be zipping by us a mile a minute, sometimes it helps to step outside and hear the ancient clucking call or drumming beat of one of these fantastic birds.
It can connect us back into our primal nature, remind us of the web of all life, and help us recall that we aren't in this world alone.
Many other creatures are walking in this world around us, and Pileated Woodpeckers can tune us in and remind us of just that.
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