Do Woodpeckers Have Headaches When They Peck?

Woodpeckers can tolerate headaches because their entire body is built to peck. Woodpeckers peck at insects hidden behind bark. They peck to create cozy nest holes for their young. They peck to communicate with other woodpeckers, which is the natural equivalent of sending a very loud text message. And they peck to mark their territory, which implies informing every other woodpecker, “This tree is mine; please find your own tree, thank you very much.”

Now here’s the issue. When a woodpecker hammers into a tree, its head moves extremely quickly before coming to a halt when the beak contacts the wood. In humans, unexpected stops like these are extremely harmful. Our brains are fragile and squishy, and if they are shaken around, we can suffer significant injuries. That is why many wear helmets while cycling or skateboarding.

A woodpecker wears no helmet. No little hard hat. There is no smaller bicycle helmet with a small chin strap. Nothing. So how is it not completely concussed all the time?

Scientists have been studying this riddle for years, and they’ve discovered that a woodpecker is more than simply a lucky bird. Its entire body, from the top of its beak to the tip of its tail, is built to withstand all of that pecking.

Woodpeckers do not experience headaches since their entire body is designed for pecking. A uniquely designed skull, a chiseled beak, a snugly fitting brain, natural shock absorbers, robust neck muscles, a tongue that wraps around their own head, built-in safety goggles, and gripping stable feet. Everything is operating together as a finely designed pecking machine.

The skull – The skull of a woodpecker differs from that of humans. It is robust, yes, but it is also shaped in a way that helps handle the force of all that pecking. Consider it the packaging on a fragile toy you received for your birthday. If you open the package, you’ll see a lot of froth and bubbly wrap around it. That is essentially what the interior of a woodpecker’s head does. It provides padding for the brain.

The beak – A woodpecker’s beak resembles a chisel. This is the tool used by builders to carve and cut hard surfaces. And, like any excellent chisel, it is purpose-built. But here’s where things become tricky. The top and bottom of the beak are slightly different in length. This means that when it hits the tree, the force is deflected away from the brain rather than directly into it. If brains could express gratitude, they would send this beak a card of appreciation.

A tiny, snug brain – Woodpeckers possess tiny brains. And in this situation, little is brilliant. A smaller brain has less space to move around within the skull. In humans, one danger of banging your head is that the brain shifts inside your skull. Less movement equals less harm. Think about jello in a lunchbox. If there is a lot of additional room, it sloshes around. If it fits snugly, it will barely move. A woodpecker’s brain fits snugly.

Built in shock absorbers – Woodpeckers have specific bones and soft tissues in their heads that act as natural shock absorbers. You know how certain trainers have extremely bouncy soles that make jogging seem springy? It is similar to that, but within a bird’s head. These shock absorbers help to distribute the force of pecking so that no single portion of the skull receives the full impact.

Powerful neck muscles – A woodpecker’s neck muscles are exceptionally strong. And they don’t merely boost the pecking power. They also assist in controlling movement and securely bringing the head to a stop. Consider it the brakes on a fast bike. The quicker you drive, the better your brakes must be.

The tongue – A woodpecker’s tongue is quite lengthy. Some species may extend it far out of their beak to capture insects trapped deep within wood cavities. The tongue may be sticky or have tiny barbs on the end, similar to a small grappling hook for insects.

But here’s the amazing part. Because the tongue is so lengthy, the structures that support it must go somewhere. And where do they go? They wrap around the exterior of the cranium. Around the skull. The tongue support bones loop around the bird’s head like a safety belt.

Scientists believe it may even help protect the brain during pecking. So a woodpecker’s tongue is not only used for eating. It may also include a built-in crash helmet attachment.

Safety goggles – During all this activity of pecking, pieces of wood and bark are flying around. Woodpeckers have a distinctive additional eyelid known as a nictitating membrane. It closes during pecking to shield the eyes from flying debris. It’s practically built-in safety goggles.

Gripping feet and a stiff tail – This one sounds a bit odd as woodpeckers climb tree trunks using powerful feet and gripping claws. However, they also press their thick tail feathers against the tree as a prop. This creates a secure three-point base, two feet, and a tail, preventing the bird from wobbling or bouncing while pecking. If you tried to hammer a nail while wobbling on a skateboard, you would have a terrible time. The woodpecker never wobbles. It’s as stable as a small feathery rock.

Scientists and engineers are researching woodpeckers to help build better helmets and safer sports equipment for humans. Biomimicry is the practice of replicating natural designs. Bio means life, and mimicry means to copy. So your future bicycle helmet could be inspired by a bird that bashes its head into trees for a living.

Content for this question contributed by Frank Mcilhaney, resident of Austin, Texas, USA