This Bird’s Tongue is Longer Than a Butter Knife!

Seeing a woodpecker in action is more extraordinary than most people realize. This tiny bird does incredible things and is not limited to its small anatomy. A woodpecker’s tongue is perhaps its greatest asset, and this video by birdfy_by_netvue shows only one of its uses. A closer look reveals this woodpecker can do more with its weaponized tongue than any other bird.

The Anatomy of a Woodpecker

Understanding a woodpecker’s best tool first requires understanding its anatomy. Its tongue can reach up to five inches outside its beak, enabling it to reach inside deep holes and crevices. If you looked inside a woodpecker’s head, you’d find a hyoid apparatus. This means its tongue starts at the top of its beak and wraps around the back of its skull to come out of its mouth. This unique organ is controlled by muscles and bones that help the tongue dart and retract.

The part of a woodpecker’s tongue that comes out of its mouth has three sections. The first is the sheath, where the muscle expands and retracts. The second is a sticky layer that helps catch bugs, and the third is covered in barbs that skewer and hold them. The diversity of this muscle demonstrates just how efficient woodpeckers are at hunting. After pecking at a tree with their strong beaks, they use their tongues to catch grubs with the upper, sticky section. If the insects are tougher to grasp, their tongues’ barbed ends help scoop the bugs out of the tree.

An Unusual Defense Mechanism

A woodpecker’s tongue could easily be called a weapon. It’s not commonly used for defense but is used for intimidation. The evolutionary purpose of its tongue is to cushion its brain during impact. When a woodpecker pecks a tree or log, its tongue cushions the blow. However, stability is only one reason for its length and placement.

This body part is not intended for fighting, but it is useful for sending a message. Around larger birds or predators such as this dove, a woodpecker might dart out its tongue as a warning. This territorial or assertive display tells other animals to stay away. According to Audubon, some species, like the acorn woodpecker, are more aggressive. These birds are territorial and will defend their nests by driving predators away with their beaks. A woodpecker might sometimes use its tongue, like in the video above. This is essentially the same as marking territory or showing other birds they were there first.