Woodpecker

Beautiful female Pileated Woodpecker was brought to the center today from the New River Valley after being found injured on the ground. This species is known as a “keystone species” meaning that it helps support the ecosystem around it and removing it could cause major disruptions through the environment. This woodpecker is often seen creating cavities in trees while looking for food, thus creating new nesting cavities for a wide range of species including but not limited to screech-owls, flying squirrels, and bluebirds. Without woodpeckers like this one few new cavities would be created and the population of all the species that depend on it would suffer. She fortunately has a good prognosis and should return to the wild after a little rest and recovery.