Creature Feature: Pileated Woodpecker

Helmet Head

A thick, spongy skull absorbs the shock of a woodpecker’s persistent pounding. The bird’s brain is packed tightly inside so it doesn’t slosh around.

Tweezer Tongue

A sharp, extra-long tongue covered in sticky spit lets a pileated woodpecker pluck insects out of hard-to-reach holes.

Cavity Creature

Pileated woodpeckers raise their babies in large holes they hammer into trees. When the woodpecker family moves out, other animals — like wood ducks and squirrels — move in.

No-Slip Grip

Clinging to trees isn’t tough — if you have sharp claws to bite into bark and toes that point both forward and backward.

Kickstand Tail

Woodpeckers prop their stiff, sturdy tails against tree trunks to keep from tipping backward while they hammer.