Why does a woodpecker peck wood?
As the name suggests, the woodpecker is a bird that pecks at the bark of trees, searching for food (insects). The woodpecker is adept at this. Once the woodpecker spots its prey, he pecks away at the bark and drills a hole in it. Sometimes he pecks away at both sides of the trunk, creating a hollow. In America, there are nearly 25 species of woodpeckers. In Britain, woodpeckers have a red, black and white coat of feathers. In the rest of Europe, the woodpecker is green, red and yellow in colour.
Woodpeckers look for insects that burrow into wood products. woodpecker uses its strong, pointed beak to chisel insects from the wood. Then, the long mucous-covered tongue goes into action. Using barbed or hair-like protrusions at its tip, it picks up ants and spiders. Thanks to small, delicate bones that curve around the birds’ brain case and into the eye sockets, the woodpecker can extend its tongue to great lengths to snap up its insect dinner. I hope this helps to understand why woodpeckers peck wood.
