Pileated Woodpecker Woodpecker, common name for members of a family of birds distinguished by their ability to cling to tree trunks and dig holes in the wood with their beaks. Woodpeckers have a sharp,straight chisel-shaped bill and a long
tongue with a hard, spear-shaped tip. They  have a stiffened tail that they press against a vertical surface to help support their weight. Woodpeckers are found throughout most of the world except Australia. They nest in trees and are usually solitary. They feed mainly on insects, which they locate by tapping trees with their bills. The pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is common in the United States and Canada. It is black with a red crest and white markings on the neck and wings. It measures up to 49 cm (19.5 in) long. Scientific classification: woodpeckers make up the family Picidae of the order Piciformes.