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Pileated Woodpecker Adaptations

The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest species of common Woodpecker found in North America. Roughly the size of the common crow, Pileated Woodpeckers are known for their ability to forage, and will peck large, rectangular holes in tree trunks when looking for their next meal. Pileated Woodpeckers are skilled survivors, and have been able to adapt to disturbed habitat and deforestation with ease, and are often found in park grounds and other places close to civilization.

Diet
- The carpenter ant is the number-one item on the Pileated Woodpecker's menu.
  
  The Pileated Woodpecker's adaptations are directly associated with their diet, which consists almost exclusively of carpenter ants. The Pileated Woodpecker has adapted a number of physical traits that allow this bird to access its next meal, whether it be in a tree trunk or a log. In fact, the Pileated Woodpecker is so well-adapted to finding and eating carpenter ants that other birds will wait for the Woodpecker to leave its feeding site to eat what remains.
Beak
- Pileated Woodpeckers also use their beaks to carve out living spaces in old trees, so they can build a nest.
  
  Pileated Woodpeckers have a sharp, chisel-shaped beak and strong neck muscles specially adapted for hammering large holes in trees. Their beak gives the Pileated Woodpecker an evolutionary advantage over other insect-eating birds in the vicinity, as its unique shape and strength allows the bird to access food sources in trees, stumps and fallen logs. The Pileated Woodpecker's beak and neck are so strong the bird has been known to split smaller trees in two while looking for carpenter ants.
Tongue
- The human tongue is not as long as the Pileated Woodpecker's tongue.
  
  The Pileated Woodpecker has a specialized tongue nearly four times as long as its beak. The tongue itself is sticky and has a barbed end, which allows the Woodpecker to spear its prey and bring it back to its beak without the insect escaping. Beyond its length, the Pileated Woodpecker's tongue is extremely muscular and elastic, allowing it to travel easily through the holes and burrows created by the bird's beak.
Feet and Tail
- Pileated Woodpeckers use their feet to grip onto bark and tree trunks, giving the bird a stable platform to work from.
  
  Pileated Woodpeckers have different feet than other birds. Most birds have four toes, with three facing forward and one facing backward, so that they can perch. Pileated Woodpeckers also have four toes, but only two face forward and two face backward. This is so the Pileated Woodpecker can grip bark and give itself a steady foundation when pecking a hole in a tree. The Pileated Woodpecker also has very stiff tail feathers, which provide the bird with better balance when gripping an object.

Animals & Science