By Sandra Muncaster

Super Hearing

Can you imagine having the ability to hear a bugs footsteps? How about a bugs footsteps deep inside a tree trunk? You could if you were a Pileated Woodpecker.

Even though it’s ears don’t stick out and are covered with feathers, this woodpecker is always listening. As it slowly hitches up a tree, it pauses to lean it’s head against the bark. It hears the tiny scraping noises made by his favorite lunch, the carpenter ant, but how is it going to get that bug out?

Digging for Dinner

Rat-tat-tat-tat. No it’s not a drum. It’s a woodpecker digging for dinner...with it’s beak. Unlike other birds, the woodpecker’s beak is made of extra strong bone and is chisel-shaped. This special beak allows the woodpecker to pry off long strips of bark and dig into the tree, creating a deep hole. Then comes the sticky part.

Flick, Stick, Slurp!

The woodpecker uses it’s unique tongue to get the bugs out. How does it do this? It’s tongue has bristles on the end and is super long. So long, it actually wraps up and around its skull, helping to protect it’s brain from damage. The woodpecker also has sticky spit. So with one quick flick of it’s tongue...bug-kabobs.

Destruction or Construction?

Once the holes are dug and the tasty bug treats slurped up, what happens to the tree? Since woodpeckers only excavate dead or dying trees, they’re not really hurting anything. In fact, holes made by woodpeckers are actually helpful. Birds such as nuthatches and swallows, as well as squirrels, use these holes for homes. These dwellers are known as "secondary cavity users." Maybe the woodpecker should start it’s own company... Wacky Woodpecker Wood Working perhaps?