Do Woodpeckers Get Headaches?

"Ouch!" Imagine banging your head against a wall 20 times a second! Discover how woodpeckers do it without the headache. Join us for a mind-blowing episode!

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Episode Transcript

I Wonder Podcast (00:03):
Hey there, curious minds.
Welcome to another episode of IWonder, the show where we
explore the questions you'vebeen wondering about.
Today's question comes fromLily.
Lily is 12 years old and sheasked "Do woodpeckers get
headaches?
" What a head scratcher of aquestion, Lily.

(00:24):
These birds spend their dayshammering away at trees like
tiny lumberjacks, so it'snatural to wonder if all that
pecking gives them a splittingheadache.
Let's dive into the fascinatingworld of woodpecker biology to
find out how they handle theirhigh-impact lifestyle.

(01:02):
How do woodpeckers peck withouthurting themselves?
Imagine banging your headagainst a wall 20 times per
second.
Ouch, right! For woodpeckers,that's just another Tuesday.
These birds peck at tree trunkswith forces of up to 1,200 times
greater than gravity.
If humans tried that, we'd endup with more than just a

(01:26):
headache.
We'd need a trip to the ER.
So what's their secret?
It turns out woodpeckers arebuilt like nature's crash test
dummies.
Their skulls are designed toabsorb shock, with thick yet
spongy bones that cushion theimpact.
Think of it like having abuilt-in helmet.

(01:50):
Plus, their brains arerelatively small and tightly
packed.
Less room to slosh around meansless risk of injury.
No offense to woodpeckers, butin this case, small brains are
an advantage.
And here's another secret -the hyoid bone.
This U-shaped bone wraps aroundthe woodpecker's skull like a

(02:15):
seat belt, providing extrasupport.
It's like their own version ofheadgear, but way cooler.
Together, these features letwoodpeckers peck away without
ending up with a bird-sizedbottle of aspirin.

(02:36):
Do woodpeckers feel pain intheir beaks?
Their beaks take the brunt ofthe action, but woodpeckers
don't seem to feel it.
Made of tough keratin, the samematerial as our fingernails,
their beaks are constantlygrowing to handle the wear and

(02:58):
tear.
So while their pecking mightsound like it should hurt, their
beaks are up to the challenge.
And if you're picturing awoodpecker squinting as
splinters fly everywhere, don'tworry.
They've got built-in safetygoggles.
A special protective layercalled the nictitating membrane

(03:22):
slides over their eyes duringpecking.
It's like wearingindustrial-grade sunglasses,
which means that they can staysplinter-free and do all the
pecking they need.

(03:42):
Why do woodpeckers peck in thefirst place?
What motivates a bird to smashits face into a tree all day?
As it turns out, woodpeckers,they're multitaskers.
Pecking helps them find foodlike tasty insects hiding under
the bark.
It's also their version of aDIY construction project.

(04:05):
They chisel out cavities intrees to build nests for their
families.
But wait, there's more.
Woodpeckers are also drummers.
That rat-tat-tat-tat-tat soundthat you hear it's not just
random noise.
It's a woodpecker marking itsterritory or trying to impress a

(04:31):
potential mate.
Do woodpeckers ever get braindamage?
While woodpeckers are theposter birds for head safety,
scientists have wondered ifthere are any long-term effects
of all that pecking.
Studies have found traces oftau proteins in woodpecker
brains.

(04:51):
In humans, these proteins arelinked to brain injuries like
concussions.
But don't worry, scientiststhink these proteins might
actually protect woodpeckerbrains rather than harm them.
It's like their biology hasfigured out a way to handle the

(05:13):
wear and tear better than we can.
So, Lily, do woodpeckers getheadaches?
Nope, these featheredheadbangers are perfectly
adapted to their hammeringlifestyle.
With shock-absorbing skulls,tough beaks and protective
sunglasses, they can peck allday without a second thought.

(05:34):
Their unique biology makes themone of nature's coolest problem
solvers and a reminder thateven head-banging can be done
safely with the right design.
Thanks again to Lily for such ahead-turning question.
And remember, if you have aquestion you're curious about,

(05:58):
submit it on our websiteiwonderpodcast.
com, and we might just featureit in our next episode of I
Wonder.
Until next time, stay curious,keep wondering.