Some species of woodpecker will also eat baby birds, and even smaller adult birds.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s important to note that they don\u2019t actively hunt other birds or their young. As foragers, they simply eat whatever they can find, when they can find it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a woodpecker spots another bird\u2019s nest, it may watch the nest, waiting for the adult birds to leave it unattended. Then, it will swoop in for a nutritious meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woodpeckers will hammer into baby birds\u2019 skulls and use their barbed tongues to extract the brain matter, which is much like a juicy grub or other fat insect to them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nEven if a nest is protected by a nesting box or situated securely in a tree hollow, woodpeckers can reach the baby birds by pounding at the next entrance, making it large enough for them to gain access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While this may seem like aggressive behavior, it is not. Woodpeckers don\u2019t usually fight other birds, which is why they wait for parents to leave their nests unattended before they strike.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFrom the woodpecker\u2019s perspective, they are just looking for a tasty meal, and a nest full of baby birds is like hitting the jackpot. However, they won\u2019t actively fight for that meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If anything, they may be forced to fight if the parents return and attack them while they are raiding the nest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Woodpeckers peck for many reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most common reasons for that distinctive drumming noise you hear is that woodpeckers are establishing their territory. They peck on trees to claim them and to warn other birds and animals in the area to stay away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOnce their territory is established, woodpeckers will drum on trees to create hollows for their nests. They then build their nests inside these hollowed-out portions of trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also drum holes into trees when searching for food. They use their excellent sense of hearing to detect insects moving around inside the wood, then they drill holes into the wood and use their barbed tongues to reach the insects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woodpeckers may also stash food in holes they\u2019ve made in trees. They create holes just large enough for acorns or other pieces of food, then hammer a piece of food into each hole, as seen in the video above.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWoodpeckers often peck on wood or other hard objects, such as windows and metal siding, to attract a mate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, woodpeckers may peck at existing tree hollows or nesting boxes in order to gain access and retrieve the unattended baby birds inside.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWoodpeckers make frequent use of their hard, tough beak, continuously pecking wood and other objects with enough force that any human trying to mimic the action would be knocked unconscious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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