Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds that peck wood with their beaks to find food and make nests. They serve several important ecological functions and have even been utilized by humans in some unique ways. In this article, we’ll explore what woodpeckers are used for both in nature and by people.
Finding Food
The primary use of a woodpecker’s strong, chisel-like beak is for finding food. Woodpeckers drill into tree bark or use their beaks to pry it back, exposing hiding insects which they pull out with their long, sticky tongues. This is an efficient feeding method that provides woodpeckers access to tree-dwelling bugs that other birds can’t easily get.
By boring holes into trees, woodpeckers also help disclose nests of ants, termites, beetle larvae, and other nutritious insects. They then lap up these insects with their lengthy tongues, which have specialized barbs and sticky saliva on the tips to help capture prey.
In addition to insects, woodpeckers also dine on tree sap, nuts, fruits, and berries. Their unique beaks allow them to hammer into wood to access this other concealed food.
Making Nest Cavities
Another major use of the woodpecker’s chisel-like bill is excavating nesting and roosting cavities in trees. They peck out holes in trunks or branches, usually taking weeks or months to complete the deep cavities.
These cavities are used for nesting and raising young, as well as for roosting overnight and during cold weather. The holes provide protective shelter with a small, easily defended entrance.
Woodpeckers prefer to nest in dead trees or dead parts of live trees. This helps prevent sap from getting on their feathers and skin as they come and go from the cavity.
Providing Habitat for Other Species
Interestingly, woodpeckers themselves only use their intricately carved out holes for 1-2 years. After they are done nesting there, these vacant woodpecker nesting cavities are prime real estate for many other animals.
In fact, up to 27 species are known to use abandoned woodpecker holes! Common tenants include smaller woodpecker species, swallows, bluebirds, owls, ducks, bats, pine martens, and squirrels. Without woodpeckers, these animals would be deprived of a crucial nesting resource.
| Animal | Species Known to Use Woodpecker Cavities |
|---|---|
| Birds | Chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, bluebirds, swallows, owls, wood ducks |
| Mammals | Flying squirrels, raccoons, martens, bats |
| Reptiles & Amphibians | Snakes, lizards, toads, salamanders |
| Insects | Bees, wasps, ants |
In all, there are over 20 species of woodpeckers in North America. Without their unique ability to chisel into wood, many animals would struggle to find suitable shelter for nesting and roosting.
Pest Control
As they drill into trees searching for food, woodpeckers provide an important form of natural pest control by preying on wood-boring beetles, ants, termites, caterpillars, and other tree pest insects. They help suppress forest pest populations that could otherwise decimate trees.
One woodpecker can consume thousands of damaging insects in a single day! By controlling these bugs, woodpeckers help protect trees and enhance forest health.
Sapsuckers
Certain species like the yellow-bellied sapsucker drill orderly rows of holes into tree trunks, causing sap to flow out that they lap up with their bristled tongues. The sap also attracts insects which the sapsuckers eat. These holes can result in “phloem” or inner bark damage on the tree.
Despite concerns that sapsuckers may harm trees, research shows they usually do not cause lasting damage. The trees seal these small wounds as part of their natural defenses. And sapsucker sap holes provide food for other animals when the birds move on.
Drumming
Woodpeckers are well known for drumming on wood with their bills. This is done primarily to establish territories and attract mates. The rapid hammering creates loud noises that identify the woodpecker’s presence, scaring off rivals.
Drumming is often done on dry, dead branches or utility poles rather than live trees, so does not harm them. The thick woodpecker skull and muscles around their brain protect it from the forces of drumming.
Tree Testing
Another less recognized use of bill drumming is for woodpeckers to test trees. They will often tap softly on trunks and branches to identify suitable nesting sites and potential food sources. The sound that resonates back reveals if there are insects inside or hollows that would be suitable for nest cavities.
Sap Collection
Humans have found woodpeckers helpful for sap collection. In some parts of the world like Scandinavia, woodpeckers are utilized to peck rows of holes in pine trees to draw sap. Collecting spouts are then inserted into the holes to gather the flowing sap without harming the trees.
The sap is used to make products like pine tar and turpentine. Using woodpecker drilling skills allows gathering pine sap in a sustainable way.
Cavity Drainage
Woodpeckers can also sometimes be employed in a technique called cavity drainage to help tap sugar maple trees for maple syrup production. Small holes are drilled into the maple trees, allowing sap to drain out under vacuum pressure into a collection system.
This can aid in gathering sap yields without requiring large drilled tap holes that could allow disease or insects to enter the trees. Care must be taken though only to work on healthy trees and limit the number of holes to prevent long term impacts.
Indicators of Forest Health
Since woodpeckers rely so heavily on forests, the abundance and diversity of woodpecker species can act as an indicator of forest health. Forests with older trees and good habitat structure tend to support more woodpecker species.
If certain woodpecker populations start to decline in an area, it may signal issues like excessive logging, insect pest outbreaks, diseases, or other threats requiring investigation or management action.
Woodpecker Deterrents
While woodpeckers play an important ecological role, they can sometimes come into conflict with humans. Woodpeckers may peck and drum on houses or damage utility poles, both of which can be a nuisance.
In these cases, deterrents like plastic owls, aluminum foil panes, streamers, and repellent sprays may discourage them. Providing alternative drumming posts can also help redirect them away from infrastructure.
However, it’s usually best to just tolerate occasional woodpecker damage, given their beneficial services like pest control.
Conclusion
From natural pest control to nest cavity provision, woodpeckers serve many critical functions in forest ecosystems. Their specialized bills allow them to access food and shelter in unique ways that aid other wildlife species. Even humans have found innovative uses for woodpecker skills, from sap collection to indicators of forest health.
While they sometimes come into conflict with people, woodpeckers are an essential component of most forest environments. Their characteristic pecking and drumming sounds add vibrancy to natural areas. We should appreciate the variety of services these industrious birds provide and aim to conserve their forest habitats whenever possible.
