Pileated Woodpeckers leave some very obvious sign.
While at work the other day we came across this quite recent excavation by a Pileated Woodpecker. What was not so obvious was the scat we found mixed with the wood chips at the base of the tree.
I have never seen this much scat from this species in one place like this. It must have had a good meal.
A close up of the scats (above) and an example of their contents (below).
Take a look at all those bug parts, most likely wood ants taken from the hollowed out interior of the tree. The large size and elongated shape of the hole it what signals Pileated rather than a smaller cousin.