I mentioned before that our area hosts seven species of woodpeckers.

Most are fairly common but seldom seem in flocks (like starlings or juncos.)

Many times they are heard before they are seen as they drill, tap, hammer or drum.

They all have some wonderful adaptations that allow them to be successful, but the most amazing are how they are able to pound at trees and still keep their brains from being damaged.

Recent events surrounding college and especially pro football have brought to the forefront the dangers of concussions and recurring concussions.

Most recently “Gronk” from the Patriots sat out most of a game because of a concussion.

Concussions occur when the brain itself gets “banged” into the inside of the cranium (skull).

There is a little space between the brain and bone and in hard bumps or hits, the brain can smack into the bone.

This doesn’t happen with woodpeckers who often hammer up to 12,000 times daily. Here are some reasons. First, the woodpecker has very little or no space between the brain and skull. The result: almost no chance for it to shift. Second, the woodpecker’s brain sits more side to side in the skull, leaving a broader surface for contact. (Our brain’s longest area runs front to back) Third the idea of inertia comes into play.

The woodpecker brain weighs so little that very little mass can move to cause a large impact. The human brain has a considerable mass to slam forward, backward or to the side. Imagine this; you drop a cricket from 5 feet in the air to the pavement. It hits and hops away. It has very little mass upon impact. (That would be about 120 times its body length) How horrifying that would be if a 100-pound deer dropped 400 feet onto pavement with such a large mass.

But that is not all. When a woodpecker hammers at a trunk/limb, it does so at a 90-degree angle. This lessens the impact. They also have neck muscles (pound for pound) much stronger than ours.

Their adaptations don’t stop there. Woodpeckers have extremely stiff tail feathers that serve as powerful props holding them against the tree. The tail feathers are almost all black and full of keratin, making the feathers stronger. The last vertebrae on their body nearest the tail are fused to help hold it still and in place.

The woodpeckers’ toes are arranged to better grasp onto a tree trunk. Most have the ability to shift one toe to allow for better grip. Woodpeckers even have built in “goggles.” As the beak strikes a tree, a membrane called the nictitating membrane immediately covers the eyes to keep out wood chips and eliminate scratches.

Even a woodpecker’s tongue is special. First it is extremely long and curls up in the back of the mouth where it helps absorb some of the shock. But this tongue is most important because it is sticky and barbed, allowing it to reach into the thin burrow of a beetle larva under the bark and pull out its food. They don’t use them like a spear however. The nostril openings on the beak too have a flap which closes as soon as they peck to keep wood chips from clogging up their airways. And of course, the beaks of woodpeckers are especially hard to withstand the constant hammering.

Note, most male birds sing to attract a mate. Male woodpeckers drum to announce their territories and to entice a female.

This staccato drumming can be done on a tree, utility pole, your downspout, or even a roadside sign. Not only do they hammer away at a trunk to expose food, but in spring they add even more “strain on their brains!” Remember, get out there and listen.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: Males in which of these species helps care for the young? A. Mallard duck, B. White-tailed deer, C. Canada goose, D. Black bear.

Last week’s trivia: Over hunting and little enforcement of game laws around 1910 led the whitetail population to plummet. However, stocking of deer began in 1910 and great conservation laws led to the success of the deer today.

Contact Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com.