Headbangers

Whilst some birds sing to attract a mate and intimidate their neighbours, woodpeckers take a different approach. They hammer their beak against a tree trunk at incredibly high speeds – up to 40 strikes per second for the great spotted woodpecker. There’s no denying that’s impressive!

There’s been some debate about how woodpeckers can cope with the strain of repeatedly banging their head against a hard surface. For a long time, it was thought that woodpeckers had spongy skulls that absorb some of the impact and protect the brain. But a study published last year disputed this common belief, showing that there is no cushioning effect. The woodpeckers use their head as a stiff hammer, not a shock absorber. Instead, it's their small size that protects their brain, as smaller animals can withstand higher deceleration. Woodpeckers just shrug off blows that would give us a serious concussion.

For most birds in the UK, it’s only the males that sing. When it comes to woodpeckers, drumming is often a unisex activity. Both males and females will drum to defend their territory from outsiders.

There are three species of woodpecker that nest in Britain, but only one that you’re likely to hear drumming – the great spotted woodpecker. It’s our most common species, found in many woodlands and parks. Great spotted woodpeckers are glossy black and white birds with a splash of red beneath their tail – males also have a red patch on their nape. Their drumming is a short, explosive burst of strikes so fast that they blur together. Each drumroll usually lasts less than a second. The strikes speed up towards the end of the roll, but get fainter at the same time so that they seem to trail off.

Lesser spotted woodpeckers, as the name implies, are smaller. But their name now takes on a more tragic meaning, as they’re also far less likely to be spotted – or heard. They’ve declined so dramatically that they’ve been lost from most of Britain. The drumming of a lesser spotted woodpecker is slightly slower than that of a great spotted, with the individual strikes more clearly heard. It also typically lasts for longer, well over a second, at a steady pace without the acceleration towards the end.

Our final woodpecker is also our largest. The green woodpecker is a chunky bird with a moss green back and a bright red cap. They often forage on the floor, probing for ants with their long, sticky tongue. They rarely drum and when they do it’s hard to hear – a soft series of rapid taps. They prefer to display with their loud, laughing calls.

Have you heard any woodpeckers drumming recently?

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