Locals Shield Their Cars From Vandal Woodpecker in Rockport, Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to a lot of woodpeckers, and apparently, some are more destructive than others. The Associated Press reports that one bird is wreaking havoc on vehicles in a sleepy seaside town. 

Residents of Rockport, Massachusetts, have been dealing with broken car windows and side mirrors for weeks. A local named Ben Favaloro told AP that they initially believed a neighborhood child was behind the chaos.

Eventually, his sister-in-law, Janelle Favaloro, spotted the real offender: a pileated woodpecker. She told NBC that she noticed the bird staring at its reflection while perched on her RV’s windshield wipers. That’s when she suspected it was behind the crimes. “We seem to have a vandal in our neighborhood,” she told NBC’s TODAY, “I’m describing him as 18 to 24 inches tall, wearing black and white with a red hat.” 

The woodpecker has broken over two dozen vehicle mirrors and at least one side window, per AP. In past years, trees in town have been damaged so severely by woodpeckers that they had to be removed, but locals say they’ve never seen anything like this.

The pileated woodpecker shouldn’t be underestimated. They are the largest North American woodpeckers, reaching over a foot long. The only woodpecker that was bigger in the U.S. was the ivory-billed species, though it’s likely extinct.

According to Pamela Hunt, a biologist for avian conservation at the New Hampshire Audubon, the recent reign of terror in Rockport is “definitely weird.” The scientist told AP that the bird might be exhibiting territorial behaviors because it's currently mating season for the species. However, woodpeckers don’t usually peck their enemies; they typically chase them away.

While residents aren’t thrilled about their feathered guest’s vandalism, they are getting a laugh out of it. For now, they’re covering their mirrors with trash bags and towels to curb the woodpecker’s destructive impulses.   

Read More About Birds: