Bird
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Lives in Mississippi all year and nests here. Found in all 82 counties, across 10 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 10

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 10
- Habitat models
- Year-round
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 10
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Other habitats in its models (109)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (55)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Year-round.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Year-round.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Year-round.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Year-round.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Year-round.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Year-round.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Year-round.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Year-round.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Year-round.
- Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Year-round.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Year-round.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Year-round.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Year-round.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Year-round.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Year-round.
- Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Year-round.
- Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Year-round.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Year-round.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
Northeast (7)
- Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Year-round.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Year-round.
Midwest (6)
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Year-round.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Year-round.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Year-round.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Year-round.
Land cover and other classes (41)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Year-round.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Year-round.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Year-round.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Year-round.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Year-round.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Year-round.
- The model allows small openings within a larger forested patch.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Year-round: nests here, in all 82 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 6
- Black RaspberryRubus occidentalis
- Southern DewberryRubus trivialis
- Garden Dew BerryRubus aboriginum
- Northern DewberryRubus flagellaris
- Pennsylvania BlackberryRubus pensilvanicus
- Sand BlackberryRubus cuneifolius
Plant genera in its diet records (1)
- Rubus Seeds. 1 diet record. 6 native plants in Mississippi
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 98
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 346
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
Swamps
Birds 109
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 291
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
- Ravenfoot SedgeCarex crus-corvi
- Southern Long SedgeCarex lonchocarpa
Moist forests
Birds 58
- Cerulean WarblerDendroica cerulea
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea
- Barred OwlStrix varia
- Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum
Plants 270
- Mountain HollyIlex montana
- Rigid Whitetop AsterSymphyotrichum retroflexum
- Smooth Blue AsterSymphyotrichum laeve
- Sweet Scented Joe Pye WeedEutrochium purpureum var. purpureum
- White AshFraxinus americana
- Fewflower Tick-trefoilDesmodium pauciflorum
- Umbrella MagnoliaMagnolia tripetala
- Yellow BuckeyeAesculus flava
- Pointedleaf Tick-trefoilDesmodium glutinosum
- Smooth Carrion-flowerSmilax herbacea
- American Basswood; American LindenTilia americana var. caroliniana
- Leonard's Witch HazelHamamelis ovalis
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP year-round habitat model for Pileated Woodpecker
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus


























































