Today we are meeting the Woodpeckers, those chisel faced birds that spend all day banging their head into a tree, sounds frustrating. Well as it turns out the Woodpeckers are evolved for a life of a tree pecking. In this episode we will find out how they do it, why they do it, and how they avoid a concussion.

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Notes:

• Wrynecks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wryneck
• Piculet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piculet
• Black-backed Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/bkbwoo?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Northern Flicker: https://ebird.org/species/norfli
• Gila Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/gilwoo?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Ground Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/growoo1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Tongues: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/science/woodpeckers-hammer-without-headaches/
• Tail feathers: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/3-a26-freshman-seminar-the-nature-of-engineering-fall-2005/47a3837503f2449db79f7d54ec71e171_wp_tail_feathev1.pdf
• Sapsuckers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapsucker
• Acorn Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/acowoo
• Drumming: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/woodpecker-knocking-actually-drum-solo-scientists-say-rcna49456
• Ivory-billed Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/ivbwoo
• Ivory-bill rediscovery?: https://earthsky.org/earth/ivory-billed-woodpecker-isnt-extinct/