One morning I heard a commotion. Red squirrels had invaded an abandoned pileated nest. I watched for almost two hours as the woodpecker methodologically terrorized the pair of squirrels. They would try to attack the bird by lashing out of the hole in the tree. The woodpecker would lean backwards in defense. When the squirrels tired, the pileated would double tap, triple tap, and gazillion tap them to the heads. I had coffee squirting out of my nose. I love those birds.
The squirrels finally disappeared. My Pileated was triumphant.
I searched on the relationship between them and found there was a natural animosity with the woodpecker normally winning out. Red squirrels are far more evil than their grey brethren.
The lessons learned were many. Pileated lay down the law with red squirrels. Pileated woodpeckers are a delight to watch and sociable too. This is a definite bucket list item for those who have become jaded and bored with life.
An Ottawa photographer caught one of those battles.
Squirrel, woodpecker airborne fight captured in photos
Oil seeds and 16"Ø or larger trees will attract Pileated and keep the disease ridden vermin away.