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Are There Pileated Woodpeckers in Maine?

Yes, pileated woodpeckers are common year-round residents throughout Maine. These large black woodpeckers with striking red crests inhabit the state's extensive forests. Maine's abundant hardwood and mixed forests provide ideal habitat. They are present across all regions. You can see them in parks, forests, and suburban woodlands.

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By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 21, 2026.

Pileated Woodpecker photographed in Maine

Pileated Woodpecker · Thomas Koffel CC BY

Pileated Woodpecker photographed in Maine

Pileated Woodpecker · froggymum CC BY

Pileated Woodpecker photographed in Maine

Pileated Woodpecker · Shirley Zundell CC BY

Photos by iNaturalist observers, reused under the licence each observer chose.
Found in Maine
75,423
GBIF records
6
birding hotspots

Yes, pileated woodpeckers are in Maine. Next you'll want:

Yes, pileated woodpeckers are common year-round residents throughout Maine. These large black woodpeckers with striking red crests inhabit the state's extensive forests. Maine's abundant hardwood and mixed forests provide ideal habitat. They are present across all regions. You can see them in parks, forests, and suburban woodlands.

Where to Find Pileated Woodpeckers in Maine

Pileated woodpeckers live throughout Maine's forested landscape. You'll find them in the Western Maine Mountains, a heavily forested region with extensive stands of hardwood and hemlock trees. The North Woods of Maine, spanning the central and northeastern portions of the state, provides abundant habitat for these large birds. The state's coastal regions, including areas along the Atlantic coast and interior forests, support populations of pileated woodpeckers. Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island and the surrounding areas represent good places to encounter these birds. VisitMaine wildlife informationfor more details about forests statewide. The Penobscot River region in central Maine offers extensive old-growth and mature forested habitat. Smaller populations inhabit suburban areas with large mature trees and woodland patches. These woodpeckers require large tracts of forest with significant numbers of dead trees for nesting and feeding.

Season and Activity in Maine

Pileated woodpeckers in Maine are year-round residents, meaning they do not migrate seasonally like many other bird species. They remain active throughout all twelve months, though their behavior changes with the seasons. During fall and early winter, they become more active and vocal as they establish and defend their territories. In late winter and early spring, you may hear their loud call echoing through the forest. This signals breeding activity and pair bonding. Their drumming and calling reach peaks during the breeding season from March through June. Even in the coldest months of Maine winters, these hardy woodpeckers continue searching for food and maintaining their territories. Visiting Maine's forests in any season offers chances to encounter pileated woodpeckers. Spring and early summer provide the best viewing opportunities when they are most vocal and active. Learn more on theMaine wildlife hub.

How to Identify a Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated woodpeckers are among North America's largest woodpeckers, measuring about sixteen to nineteen inches in length. The most distinctive feature is the bright red crest on the head, which stands prominent on both males and females. Males display a red line running from the bill back along the cheek, while females have a black line in that spot instead. Both sexes have predominantly black bodies with white undersides visible on the wings and along the sides. They have a long neck and powerful pointed bill used for excavating wood. Their large size and bold coloring make them relatively easy to identify compared to smaller woodpecker species. You can also recognize them by their loud, distinctive call that sounds like a loud wuk-wuk-wuk or a series of loud pecking sounds. In flight, their white wing patches become very visible against their black bodies. Their strong, undulating flight pattern and large silhouette distinguish them from other woodpecker species found throughoutMaine.

Best Places to Spot Them in Maine

Several specific locations in Maine offer excellent opportunities for viewing pileated woodpeckers. The Baxter State Park, a large wilderness preserve in north-central Maine, contains extensive old-growth forest habitat where these birds thrive. The Maine Woods, encompassing millions of acres of largely unbroken forest in the northeastern portion of the state, represents prime pileated woodpecker territory. The Moosehead Lake region offers good habitat and viewing opportunities in a beautiful setting. State forests throughout Maine, including the Lily Bay State Park area, support healthy populations of these large woodpeckers. The Dead River area in western Maine provides excellent forest habitat. Even closer to populated areas, many Maine state parks and nature preserves host pileated woodpeckers. Your local state forest or protected natural area likely contains these birds if it features mature hardwood or mixed forest with dead trees. Birding groups and natural history organizations often lead trips to prime viewing locations.

Behavior and Diet

Pileated woodpeckers spend much of their time foraging for food on tree trunks and branches. They use their powerful bills to excavate wood, searching for carpenter ants, which constitute a major portion of their diet. They also eat wood-boring beetle larvae and other insects. Unlike some woodpecker species that peck quickly and repeatedly, pileated woodpeckers often make deep, rectangular excavations while foraging. These large excavation holes are sometimes visible on dead trees and can measure several inches across. They are generally solitary outside the breeding season, though pairs maintain territories year-round. Pileated woodpeckers are territorial birds that defend their territory through vocalizations and displays. They are active foragers throughout the day, moving from tree to tree in search of food. Their loud call serves multiple purposes including territorial defense and communication between pair members. These are truly specialized birds perfectly adapted to Maine's forests.

Living Safely with Pileated Woodpeckers

Pileated woodpeckers are legally protected in Maine and throughout the United States under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This protection means it is illegal to harm, capture, or kill these birds. In Maine, you should never attempt to remove a pileated woodpecker from your property, even if you find it problematic. The large holes these birds excavate in dead trees and sometimes in dead sections of living trees are part of their natural behavior and should be tolerated. If a pileated woodpecker is causing damage to a wooden structure, the best approach is to work with a licensed wildlife professional or contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for guidance. Leaving dead trees standing on your property benefits pileated woodpeckers and many other wildlife species. These birds pose no direct threat to humans and are not aggressive toward people. They are shy birds that generally avoid human contact. Maintaining forested habitat and protecting dead trees supports pileated woodpecker populations and connects them acrossMaine wildlife lands.

Similar Species to Avoid Confusion

Several woodpecker species occur in Maine and could potentially be confused with the pileated woodpecker, though the pileated is quite distinctive. The Hairy Woodpecker resembles the Downy Woodpecker but is larger. Neither species approaches the size of a pileated woodpecker. The Flicker species, including the Northern Flicker, are large but lack the distinctive red crest and have different coloring and patterns. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is much smaller than a pileated woodpecker. The Black-backed Woodpecker is smaller and lacks the red crest. The Pileated Woodpecker's large size, massive bill, predominantly black coloring, and most distinctively the bright red crest make it unmistakable from other Maine woodpeckers once you become familiar with the species. If you observe a large woodpecker with a red crest in Maine, you can be confident you have seen a pileated woodpecker. Birding field guides specific to Maine will help you distinguish between the various woodpecker species that occur in the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are pileated woodpeckers common in Maine? A: Yes, they are common year-round residents found throughout the state's forested areas. Q: What time of year is best for seeing pileated woodpeckers in Maine? A: Spring and early summer offer the best viewing as they are most vocal and active. Q: Can pileated woodpeckers damage wooden structures? A: While they normally prefer dead trees, they occasionally peck at wooden homes, particularly if carpenter ants are present. Q: How large are pileated woodpeckers? A: They are among North America's largest woodpeckers, measuring about sixteen to nineteen inches in length with a wingspan of about twenty-six to thirty inches. For more information about wildlife in Maine, visit theMaine wildlife informationor the mainwildlife directory.

Plan your pileated woodpecker sighting in Maine

75,423 verified pileated woodpecker records have been logged in Maine, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.

Where to look in Maine

Birding hotspots via eBird (Cornell Lab).

Recent pileated woodpecker sightings

  • Penjajawoc Marsh · 2026-07-20 16:40 · 2 seen
  • 932 U.S. 1, Steuben, Maine, US (44.511, -67.912) · 2026-07-20 12:03 · 1 seen
  • Acadia NP--Ship Harbor Trail · 2026-07-20 10:53 · 1 seen
  • Beech Hill Pond · 2026-07-20 08:55 · 2 seen
  • 38 Pinecrest Rd, Harpswell US-ME 43.83855, -69.96418 · 2026-07-20 08:05 · 1 seen

Planning a trip to see pileated woodpecker? Find places to stay near Acadia National Park on Booking.com.

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