Hiker captures rare photos after noticing sound in nearby tree: 'Almost had me convinced it was a human'

Whether you're hiking, bird-watching, or engaging in some other activity, spending time in forests can be incredibly relaxing and stress-relieving. 

If you're lucky, you might even come across some cool wildlife and manage to get a picture of it, as one Redditor did. They shared several photos they captured of a pileated woodpecker on the r/Birding subreddit. 

They wrote: "Pileated woodpecker. Almost had me convinced it was a human chopping wood. Must have been hungry because I've never seen one this close before."

The bird was gorgeous, and several other Redditors exclaimed over the photos. 

"You even photographed the tongue! Wow! Did you know the tongues of pileated and other woodpeckers are so long they go around the skull?" asked one person. 

Another Reddit user commented: "I'm happy for you and also jealous."

While the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the pileated woodpecker as a species of least concern, these birds became increasingly rare in the 18th and 19th centuries due to increased logging. However, the birds have gradually been making a comeback. 

Considering that this species used to be a management indicator species in the Pacific Northwest and is now thought to be a possible keystone species, the birds' recovery is excellent news. Additionally, because pileated woodpeckers' roosting spots provide habitat for other animals and their excavations may help stop the spread of heart-rot fungi, their return is beneficial for forest ecosystems. 

Pileated woodpeckers prefer old-growth forests, but, according to Audubon, the birds may be adapting to both second-growth forests and closer human proximity. While it is tragic that wildlife must adapt to environmental changes caused by human activity, the news that the birds seem to be adapting well and their numbers are rising is encouraging. 

Also good news is that this means more people may get the chance to see these beautiful creatures pecking away at trees and eager to get food.

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