WOODPECKERS

The woodpecker is another one of God’s unique designs. The woodpecker is totally different from any other bird. Every part of its body is designed to drill into wood. For example, in order for woodpeckers to cling to tree trunks and maintain its position while pecking it has two backward facing toes which keeps it from falling backward. In addition, its tail feathers are stiff and tipped with spines which are used for climbing and for stability while pecking.

The woodpecker spends most of its time spiraling up tree trunks is search of insects, pecking away as it goes. This provides valuable control over the insect population that feed on trees. This remarkable bird will consume up to 2,000 ants in one day. Just another example of God’s wisdom and how He provides balance in His creation.

The woodpecker has an extremely long tongue that is used to search out insects hidden deep within a tree’s trunk. Since the object that the tongue touches is out of the birds sight, it has nerve endings and protein collagen fibers on the tip of the tongue that determine if the object is an insect or wood. In addition, the tongue has specially designed glands that secrete a sticky substance that holds the insect to the tongue like a fly to fly paper. Where does the woodpecker store its long tongue? The answer: In its right nostril. The tongue reaches around the back of the skull and into the right nostril.

When the woodpecker hammers away at a tree trunk it does so at a rate of about 15 to 16 times per second. This is a rate that is nearly twice the speed of a submachine gun. When pecking, the bird’s head travels at more than twice the speed of a bullet. The force involved as its head is brought to a sudden stop, is equivalent to 1,000 times the force of gravity. This is about 250 times the gravitational force that an astronaut experiences during a rocket liftoff.

This requires another amazing design feature, the woodpeckers head. Special shock-absorbers are designed into the head so it can withstand the impact from pecking. The skull that surrounds the bird’s brain and the beak are separated by a sponge-like tissue that absorbs the shock. The shock-absorber is so good that scientist say it is far better than any that humans have invented. In addition, the bird has special muscles that pull the brain-case away from the beak before the beak contacts the tree. The woodpecker had to have the right head designed from the start to survive. There was no time for an evolutionary process. Certainly the wisdom of our Creator is clearly seen.

The woodpecker’s beak also had to be designed right the first time or the bird would nor survive. The woodpecker’s bill is stronger than most birds and is chisel-tipped. The woodpecker produces a lot of sawdust when pecking. To prevent the sawdust from entering the nostrils they have a slit-like design and are covered with fine wiry feathers.

All of creation reveals God’s wisdom. So, when God says, “...ask...the birds of heaven, and let them tell you...that the hand of the LORD has done this” (Job 12:7-9), then we must declare as the Psalmist did in Psalm 104:24, “O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all...”