While other birds use grass and tree branches to build their nests, woodpeckers use their strong beaks to pierce tree trunks for nesting and to catch insects.
Surprise with interesting facts about peaks
1. Why don’t woodpeckers have headaches?
The pounded woodpecker, the largest species in North America, rushes down the tree trunk at 24 km / h, 20 times per second. So why haven’t their heads been broken?
Firm muscles, spongy skulls, and thick eyelids have kept their brains intact.
Nghiên cứu của giáo sư Schwab chỉ ra rằng chim gõ kiến đã gõ vào bề mặt cứng đến 20 lần một giây với lực gấp 1.200 lần trọng lực mà không chịu bc nìng chôo bng vìng, chịo bng vìng cũng không gặp phải vấn đề gì.
“Nếu chẳng may bị va đập mạnh vào đầu, bạn có thể phá vỡ những mạch máu phía sau tròng mắt, đồng thời làm tổn thương những dây thần kinh khu vực này. Do đó, khi nhìn thấy những nạn nhân bị tai nạn xe hơi và nghe nói về hoạt động của chim gõ kiến, một cau hỏi lớn hiện ra trong tôi there vì sao nhông lảing ching x thải chớn thn thn thn thi thn thi thn thn thi thn thn thyng x thi chn cho biết.
Chim gõ kiến sử dụng những cú gõ thẳng như tên vào ngay thân Cây góp phần làm giảm lực phản hồi, tránh gây chấn động lên đầu. Ngoài ra, cơ thể của loài chim này cũng được thiết kế với những chi tiết đặc biệt để giảm thiểu tác động tiêu cực.
Một phần nghìn giây trước khi thực hiện cú gõ, những khối cơ dày đặc trong cổ chim co lại, trong khi mí mắt thì nhắm chặt làm cho một phần lực được giổ c b ch ầp c giải b chp được đâm trời giáng.
Xương chịu nén ở sọ hợp lại tạo thành một lớp đệm bảo vệ. Đồng thời, mí mắt nhắm chặt giúp chim gõ kiến bảo vệ mắt khỏi bị các mảnh gỗ bắn vào và giữ con ngươi được cố định – tránh trường hợp lực mạc tách độ ho.
“Mí mắt có tác dụng như dây an toàn trên xe ô tô giữ mắt khỏi bị bắn ra khỏi mặt. Nếu không, lực gia tốc có thể xé tan võng mạc ”, Schwab cho biết. Ngoài ra, ngay chính phần bên ngoài của mắt cũng rất chắc và căng đầy máu với nhiệm vụ bảo vệ võng mạc khỏi bị xô lệch.
Não chim rất chắc chắn để có thể đối mặt với những lần bổ đầu liên tiếp. Ở người, khi gặp những chấn thương lên phần đầu, bộ não sẽ bị va đập và lắc lư trong lớp chất lỏng tuỷ não. Tuy nhiên, chim gõ kiến không có lớp chất lỏng này, làm giảm nguy cơ tổn thương.
In addition to straight shots like arrows on the trunks to avoid a hit to the head, the bird’s body is also designed to minimize impact. A millisecond before the blow, the dense muscle mass of the bird’s neck shrinks and the eyelids tighten. Some of the force is released in the muscles of the neck and protects the skull from a blow. The compression bones of the skull also form a protective cushion. Meanwhile, the bird’s closed eyelids protect the eye from splashes of wood and hold the pupil in place.
“The eyelids act like a seat belt and prevent the eyes from being thrown out of the face,” says Schwab. “Otherwise, the accelerating force will tear the retina.” The outer part of the eye itself is firm and full of blood to prevent the retina from being pushed.
The bird’s brain is also very strong on these first hits. Injuries to the human head often cause the brain to bounce back into the cerebrospinal fluid. But the peaks hardly have this liquid.
While scientists aren’t sure woodpeckers have headaches, Schwab points out that at least the bird is very tolerant of pain. “When flirting, male woodpeckers can hit drums up to 12,000 times a day. If they were to say to their lover, ‘It’s not tonight, honey, my head hurts,’ then they wouldn’t be guilty of anything. This headache game “.
2. The tail is pointed
Woodpeckers have the ability to climb trees and their bodies adapt to life on the trunk. Its tail has sharp thorns to attach to the trunk. When the woodpecker uses its paw to press firmly on the tree, its tail acts as a third leg to help it grip the tree.
3. Intelligent and ingenious
Most woodpeckers use their bill to catch insects or make their nests, but woodpeckers that eat oak seeds in North and Central America have distinct properties. They make hundreds of holes in the trunk to store oak seeds and remove them when needed, especially during cold winters.
4. Peak
As the name suggests, land woodpeckers often feed on the ground instead of trees. They generally live in the steppes of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho.
They also have earthy fur to blend in with their surroundings. The birds feed mainly on termites and other underground insects.
5. Clawed feet
The woodpecker has a zygodactyl (zygodactyl) foot structure, meaning two toes facing forward and two toes facing back. This feature allows them to land more easily on the trunk while catching preys and moving on the ground.
6. Public relations with hummingbirds
Several species of woodpeckers in North America are closely related to hummingbirds. While woodpeckers chisel at trees to catch insects, hummingbirds fly with them to suck up sap.
In turn, hummingbirds are responsible for drowning larger birds that want to steal the woodpecker for food. Hummingbirds often suck nectar, but sources of nectar are scarce in winter, and they must suck the sap as a substitute.
7. Gila Peak
Living primarily in the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico, Gila Woodpeckers often eat insects on cacti. In addition, they eat cacti and berries.
This bird is of great importance to the Saguaro cactus because it catches pests and removes damaged parts of the stem.
8. The “shield” protects against wood chips and sawdust
The woodpecker’s nose has hard, soft feathers to help protect it from damage from wood chips and sawdust while chiseling.
The hard bristles help prevent foreign objects from spreading into the nostrils while the soft bristles act as a filter that stops dust when they breathe. In addition, woodpeckers also have a special coat that protects their eyes.
9. Woodpeckers catch flies
Unlike other woodpeckers that chisel tree trunks to catch insects, American woodpeckers that catch flies often hunt aerial insects like flies or perch on trees.
In the fall and winter, they usually eat oak seeds and other nuts. They also chisel tree trunks for nesting like other woodpeckers do.
10. Necked birds
The same family of woodpeckers, but the Eurasian crescent has a more sparrow appearance. Their necks are very flexible and can turn around like snakes.
Necked birds often nest in open forests and forage on the ground. Their favorite food is ants.
