Ivory-billed Woodpecker: Part 1 - Description

Well, here goes my first attempt at a recurring topic. I'll try to keep the posts short and interesting. Everything that I talk about is covered in Tim Gallagher's book. So, if you find the story interesting, pick "Grail Bird...." up.

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) is North America's largest woodpecker. Historically, it was found in the southeastern United States and Cuba (range map). Its habitat is old-growth forest with dead and decaying trees which support its main food source, beetle larvae.

Physically, the Ivory-bill is a large (L = 19", WS = 33", Wt = 18 oz) mostly black bird. Both sexes have a crest and the male's is bright red. But, the feature that best describes the bird is its ivory white bill. The bird's call is often described as a "toy horn" and it can also be identified by the "double knock" that it makes.

The ivory-bill looks very much like the relatively common Pileated Woodpecker and many sightings over the years have been attributed to this mistaken identity. The ivory-bill is larger, has a white trailing edge to its wings, and has a different flight pattern. Here's a great guide to help with identification.