WHY DON’T WOODPECKERS GET HEADACHES?

 

How a thick skull keeps it injury free?

  Woodpeckers whack their heads against wood upto 20 times a second, at 1,200 times the force of gravity, without suffering concussion, detached retinas or any other symptoms of head injury. But how?

Here is the answer…

 

Holes: Woodpeckers excavate small rectangular holes on the sides of tree trunks, prying off wood to expose tasty beetle larvae and carpenter ants.

Skull: Woodpeckers have a thicker skull than most other birds. It’s made of extremely strong yet spongy compressible bone, to help cushion the blow. The beak and skull are linked by elastic connective tissue.

Brain: Unlike human brains, which are floating about in a pool of cushioning cerebrospinal fluid, woodpecker brains are tightly enclosed in the skull with practically no cerebrospinal fluid.

Beak: The strong bones that comprise the woodpecker’s straight bill are strengthened by a horn-covered beak, which hammers into the wood and bark of a tree at something like 12,000 impacts per day in search of bugs and ants.

Hyoid apparatus: Within the long tongue is a skeletal structure called the ‘hyoid apparatus’. This is a collection of small bones supported by cartilage and muscles, which fold up like an accordion and enable the woodpecker to stick its tongue out further.

Third eyelid: Woodpeckers have a thick inner eyelid, which acts as a seatbelt to ensure the bird’s eyeballs don’t pop out and also prevents tearing the retina. The eye is filled with blood to support the retina.