Marty Stouffer's Wild America

Season 4 Episode 2 - Wookpeckers - Nature's Hammerheads

Have you ever walked in the woods and seen a hole high up in a tree? Chances are that even though a small mammal or another bird lives in it now, a woodpecker originally drilled it. The ancients believed these birds were gods that could bring forth rain by tapping their bills. Today, we know they can't perform miracles and when we do think of woodpeckers, the cartoon character Woody immediately comes to mind. But, age old deity or modern comic, one thing is clear, these birds know how to use their heads. Their skulls are toughened to withstand the shock of constant, forceful pounding as they whack away at wood in search for a meal or a home. Their family also includes Flickers and Sapsuckers, and totals between 23 and 45 species and sub-species, depending on who you talk to. All are adapted to a life on tree trunks and in branches. So come with me now and let's take a look at the fascinating lives of the "WOODPECKERS-NATURE'S HAMMERHEADS".