This large woodpecker has been making visits to our neighbour's white pine, a majestic and tall old tree. Sadly, I think it means that in time, it will need to come down. The woodpecker does NOT cause damage, the damage is done long before the woodpeckers turn up, by one species or another, or maybe several species, of wood-boring insects. The woodpecker is just astute enough to know that inside the tree there are fat larvae (who do the damage).