Gallery Spotlight
PILEATED WOODPECKER IN MAGNOLIA
By Kim B. Parrish
© 2020 – 36 x 36” Oil on Canvas
SOUTHERN PILEATED WOODPECKER
Dryocopus p. pileatus
Range: Southeastern United States
It’s hard to imagine a more conspicuous bird than the pileated woodpecker. As soon as they move into a tree, they boldly announce their arrival with loud vocal blasts, sounding more like a circus act than a bird. This unmistakable racket is matched by their outrageous size and glorious red cap. There is nothing dull about the pileated woodpecker, and I guess this is why I have always admired them. Pileated woodpeckers are recognized as the largest woodpecker in the U.S.
Coming in at 16–20 inches tall, with a wing span of nearly 30 inches, these birds know how to make an appearance, and they know how to party. We have three large Southern magnolias on our property, and these trees are a “magnet” for the pileated woodpecker. We enjoy the show as they descend upon the brilliant, glossy red seeds which emerge from the brown pods in the branches each summer. This has been going on season after season, for over 20 years.
Woodpecker Fine Art: My original oil painting “Pileated Woodpecker in Magnolia” is 36 x 24 inches on canvas, depicting a male bird with his magnolia seed harvest. Thanks for your interest in my work, and I hope you enjoy the beauty of Florida’s birds.