Picus sp.

In early spring, many of us are startled by the attention that woodpeckers give our downspouts and metal chimney flashing. These wood-boring birds’ behavior is a slight alteration of their drumming-loud, one-second bursts of noise created by rapid rapping with the bill on a resonating object. In the woods, a red-bellied, pileated, or downy woodpecker might drum on a dry limb or hollow snag to announce their territory or attract a mate. In neighborhoods, many woodpeckers have discovered the superior acoustic properties of gutters and metal objects. Not to worry, their early morning jam sessions subside as the mating season passes.

Pileated woodpecker drumming sound [RealAudio]

Cool Links:

Woodpeckers: Damage, Prevention, and Control - If the sound of woodpecker drumming is a little too close for comfort, check out this page from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for helpful information "including the reasons why they may have selected your house, and possible deterrents."

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photo: Mike Dunn