Their old nest cavities are often used by other species, such as squirrels, eastern screech-owls and American kestrels. Flickers are declining significantly in parts of their range. Pileated woodpeckers are the largest of our resident woodpeckers. They are crow-sized. They have a large red crest, black back and white underwing color.
Males have a red mustache that females lack.
They are most commonly seen flying across roads or pastures into an adjacent forest. Their undulating flight pattern distinguishes this species from crows. Pileated woodpecker nests usually are located in bottomlands or ravines in large diameter trees. They may take as long as 30 days to excavate a cavity. The average territory size for one breeding pair in Missouri is 130 to 400 acres.