'Woodpecker Column' – Toronto, Ontario - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

'Woodpecker Column'

Toronto, Ontario

The giant birds honor two native North American species. 

View all photos
Woodpecker Column Heather Harvey/CC BY-SA 2.0
Woodpecker Column Heather Harvey/CC BY-SA 2.0
Pileated Woodpecker Dennis Jarvis/CC BY-SA 2.0
Woodpeckers is a nearby sculpture that's 30 meters high. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)
They can be seen, even when the CN Tower is shrouded in fog. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)
Higher up is a pileated woodpecker. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)
The column was raised in 1997. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)
The yellow-billed sapsucker is lower down; both are native to Canada. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)
Walking around downtown Toronto and couldn’t resist a mini quest to find the woodpecker statue.
524
391
Top Places in Toronto
The Bilio-Mat
The Monkey's Paw
Toronto, Ontario
The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse
Toronto, Ontario
The Rainbow Tunnel
Toronto, Ontario
 See All

Standing tall in the shadow of the CN Tower, Toronto’s extremely popular tourist attraction, is a rather overlooked piece of art. Take a good look at “Woodpecker Column,” and you’ll spot two charming birds catching your eye with their bright colors, even when the tower is shrouded in fog.

The 98-foot-tall (30 meters) black steel column was created by Fastwürms, a Canadian artist collective, and installed in 1997. The piece is freckled with round holes so it resembles a tree trunk its two avian residents have routinely hammered.

The birds are over 6.5 feet (two meters) tall. One is a yellow-bellied sapsucker, the other a pileated woodpecker. Both species are native to Canada and the United States.

Know Before You Go

The column sits to the East of the Aquarium and South of the Convention Center.  As you walk along Lower Simcoe towards the Lake, it can be seen on your left.

columns public art birds animals art
Nearby
Rock of the Matterhorn
0.11 miles
CN Tower Stairs
0.12 miles
Simcoe Park 'Worker's Monument'
0.15 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
The rock.
Toronto, Ontario

Rock of the Matterhorn

This half-ton piece of the Alps sits at the base of the CN Tower.
CN Tower with the Canadian flag
Toronto, Ontario

CN Tower Stairs

One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World holds the world's tallest metal staircase.
The 1970s.
Toronto, Ontario

Simcoe Park 'Worker's Monument'

The artwork commemorates the many ways 20th-century people perished while on the clock.
The Monument
Toronto, Ontario

Chinese Railroad Workers Memorial

A monument to the 17,000 Chinese who worked and died to build Canada's Pacific Railway.
Related Places
Uppspretta.
Reykjanesbær, Iceland

Uppspretta

This wild explosion of color on a disused water tower tells the whimsical tale of a curious puffin.
Ubud, Indonesia

Blanco Renaissance Museum

Visitors to this museum will find architectural oddities, an art gallery, and an unlikely bird sanctuary.
Love From Afar.
San Juan Capistrano, California

Arroyo Bird Park

This park is home to well over 100 handmade birdhouses.
Alec and his friend.
Belfast, Northern Ireland

'Alec the Goose'

The statue honors a beloved bird that once roamed St. George's Market.
Appears in 1 List
Peacock Clock
List

The Ultimate Guide to Bird Monuments

A globe-trotting tour of avian art, from a golden peacock clock to giant poultry statues.
Michelle Cassidy August 25, 2021
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web