Why Do Woodpeckers Peck?

Woodpeckers are fascinating creatures that are easily heard in the forests through their constant pecking activities. But why do woodpeckers peck so much and why can they be spotted pecking on things like metal lamp posts or metal chimney caps?

It turns out that woodpeckers are pecking for three reasons. They peck for food, to excavate nesting cavities and to communicate with mates and rivals.

Here is the link to the original article about the pecking activity of woodpeckers.

Transcript

1. Why Do Woodpeckers Peck? Drilling vs Drumming
2. Woodpeckers Peck for Food • Woodpeckers like the pileated, red bellied and red headed will peck on trees to feast on the ants and other bugs living under the bark. Seeing a large amount of woodpeckers feeding on a tree is an indication that the tree is unhealthy and infested with insects. • Woodpeckers like the red bellied sapsucker will drill small holes in trees to make the sap run. The woodpeckers will lap up the sap for food. Sapsuckers like trees with thin bark such as apples and paper birch. • The pecking woodpeckers perform while feeding is called “drilling”
3. Woodpeckers Peck for Nesting Sites • Woodpeckers will excavate large cavities inside of trees to raise their young. • Excavation can take several weeks to complete. • Many woodpeckers will only use the excavated cavity for one or two years. • The abandoned cavities are then used by squirrels and other cavity dwellers as homes. • The pecking woodpeckers do to create nesting cavities is called drilling.
4. Woodpecker Peck To Communicate • Woodpeckers do not have the ability to produce birdsong. • Woodpeckers peck on surfaces in precise patterns to communicate to potential mates, defend territory and scare potential predators. • Woodpeckers will often peck on metal or glass surfaces in order to be as loud as possible when they want to communicate. • The type of pecking woodpeckers perform for communication is called drumming.