Why do woodpeckers peck?
Woodpeckers peck to find food, such as insects under bark, to dig nest holes in trees and to communicate by drumming, which marks territory and attracts mates.
Woodpeckers use their strong, chisel-like beaks to chip away bark and wood to reach beetle larvae, ants and other insects. They then use their long, sticky tongues, often with barbed tips, to pull prey out of tunnels. Some woodpeckers also eat nuts, fruit and tree sap.
In spring, woodpeckers drum rapidly on trees, poles and even metal gutters or chimneys to make loud sounds that announce their territory and attract mates. Each species has its own drumming pattern. They also excavate nest holes, which other birds and animals later use.
How they avoid headaches
A woodpecker may peck up to around 20 times per second. A 2022 study suggested their skulls act more like stiff hammers than shock absorbers, but their small brains are less prone to injury from the forces involved. Their tongues wrap around their skulls, and special feathers keep wood chips out of their nostrils.
Did You Know?
Some woodpeckers, like the acorn woodpecker, drill thousands of small holes in trees to store acorns, creating granaries.