Woodpeckers: Take a Closer Look! 

When was the last time you really took a close look at the birds coming to your feeders? Many of us watch and enjoy their beauty every day, but how often do we deliberately look at them with an eye towards new discoveries.

It’s time to take a closer look! You will be amazed at the things you can observe.

Take the woodpecker that’s outside on the WBU suet cake; it’s probably the same one that’s been coming around for years. It’s an old friend, so what could you possibly see that you haven’t seen before?

Well, how about its kickstand! A kickstand? That’s for a bike not a bird…but don’t tell that to the woodpecker. When you observe a woodpecker as it lands, you will notice that it uses its long tail feathers to propped itself up against the tree.

Just as a kickstand keeps a bicycle from falling over, the woodpecker’s tail keeps it from falling off the tree. The strong and stiff feathers absorb the force of the woodpecker’s hammering blows and help to firmly anchor it to the tree.  Closer observation will also reveal that each of these unique feathers is tipped with a pointed spike. Similar in shape and function to a telephone lineman’s climbing spikes, the woodpecker digs them into the tree’s bark as it climbs.

The woodpecker’s unique tail is just one of it’s many adaptations you can witness as they visit your feeders. We would love to hear about your observations. Visit us soon and we’ll make sure you have the expert advice and quality hobby products you take a closer look at your old friends at the feeders.