Bird field guide · Woodpeckers

Photographing the Pileated Woodpecker

How to photograph the Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (April and May).

15–50 cm1/2500 s
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Photo: © Joshlaymon, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist
15–50 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/8
Aperture
85,312
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/8
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionTrunk-clinging birds sit in shade: watch your shutter speed and use zone AF to avoid focusing on bark.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens300–500 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 32 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)176 mm262 mm118 mm88 mm
10 m (33 ft)353 mm525 mm235 mm176 mm
15 m (49 ft)529 mm787 mm353 mm264 mm
20 m (66 ft)705 mm1,050 mm470 mm353 mm
30 m (98 ft)1,058 mm1,574 mm705 mm529 mm
50 m (164 ft)1,763 mm2,624 mm1,175 mm882 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 8% Jan Feb: 8% Feb Mar: 10% Mar Apr: 15% Apr May: 14% May Jun: 8% Jun Jul: 6% Jul Aug: 6% Aug Sep: 7% Sep Oct: 6% Oct Nov: 6% Nov Dec: 7% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: April and May.

About the Pileated Woodpecker#

The pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is a large woodpecker native to North America. This crow-sized bird normally inhabits deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is the second-largest woodpecker in the United States, after the critically endangered and possibly extinct ivory-billed woodpecker.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Dead snags are favourite drumming posts.
  • Expose for the bright head patches; forests are dim, so raise ISO before dropping shutter speed.
  • Trunk-clinging birds sit in shade: watch your shutter speed and use zone AF to avoid focusing on bark.
  • Sightings peak in April and May, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More Woodpeckers#

Downy Woodpecker Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens Northern Flicker Northern FlickerColaptes auratus Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus Hairy Woodpecker Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus Acorn Woodpecker Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius Golden-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes aurifrons Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Pileated Woodpecker?

At about 32 cm long, a pileated woodpecker fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 353 mm, or at 20 m with 705 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Pileated Woodpecker?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Pileated Woodpecker?

Observations in North America peak in April and May. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources