🐦 Ep. 17 Animal Superpowers: Woodpeckers — The Bird That Can Hammer Trees (Animals for Kids)

We explore one of the most fascinating birds in the natural world: the woodpecker. If you enjoy discovering incredible creatures through a kids nature podcast, this episode is full of surprising discoveries and exciting animal facts for kidsabout a bird that can hammer trees thousands of times every day.

Woodpeckers are famous for their loud knocking sound in forests, parks, and backyards. But those sounds are not random. These incredible birds use their powerful beaks to peck into trees while searching for insects hidden inside the bark. One of the most interesting animal facts for kids is that woodpeckers can strike a tree up to twenty times per second and sometimes peck more than twelve thousand times in a single day. Their beaks work like tiny jackhammers, helping them dig into wood to find food.

This might sound dangerous, but woodpeckers are specially designed for this task. Their skulls are built with shock-absorbing structures that protect their brains from the powerful impacts of pecking. Their neck muscles are strong, and their brains fit tightly inside their skulls so they do not move during impact. These amazing animal facts for kids show how animals in nature life are designed with special abilities that help them survive and thrive.

Woodpeckers also have one of the most surprising tools in the animal kingdom: an extremely long tongue. Their tongues can be much longer than their beaks and are sticky at the tip, allowing them to reach deep inside tree holes to pull out insects. In the world of nature science for kids, woodpeckers are a perfect example of how animals are equipped with the tools they need for survival.

Another fascinating discovery about woodpeckers is that they also use their pecking to build homes. Woodpeckers carve holes in trees where they raise their babies. Later, when they leave these nests, other animals often move into the empty cavities. Animals such as squirrels, owls, and ducks sometimes use these tree homes. These kids animal discoveriesshow how animals help each other in nature, even when they don’t realize it.

Through nature exploration for kids, we can see how creatures like woodpeckers play important roles in their ecosystems. They help control insect populations and create safe nesting spaces for other animals. Learning these animal facts for kids helps us understand how interconnected nature really is.

This family friendly nature show is designed to help kids and families explore the wonders of the natural world together. Through engaging nature facts, storytelling, and simple science explanations, listeners will discover how fascinating animals can be.

From forests to backyards, woodpeckers remind us that even familiar birds have incredible abilities. With a gentle perspective celebrating nature and God’s creation, this episode encourages kids to stay curious and keep exploring the amazing design found in the natural world.

Whether you are listening during homeschool science time, enjoying a family road trip podcast, or winding down with bedtime nature stories, this episode will inspire children who love kids and animals, nature fun facts, and discovering the hidden wonders of the outdoors.

Send us an email (naturelovingkidspodcast@gmail.com) to say "hi" to the nature loving kids, request a birthday shoutout or recommend a fun animal or nature phenomenon to discuss on the show!

And if you liked our episode please leave a 5 Star Review and share with a friend!

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

What if you could slam your head into a wall twenty times every second, all day long, and never get a headache? Most animals would get seriously hurt, but there's one bird that does this every day. The woodpecker. I'm your host, Garrett Maroon, and before I introduce my two curious co-hosts, we have another review. RayaC.15 says, My kids have listened and re-listened to each episode multiple times. They love them and they have learned so much. They ask me every day if there's a new episode out. Great podcast, and we all look forward to new and upcoming episodes. Thank you so much for the review. If you love this show, please leave a five-star review and throw on a little comment. My kids love it. And if you'd like a birthday shout out or have an idea for what we should talk about next, email us Nature LovingKidsPodcast at gmail.com. Now let me introduce my two co-hosts.

SPEAKER_02 1:47

Hi, I'm Hattie, and I've heard woodpeckers knocking on trees before. And I'm Ivy, and it sounds like someone's hammering.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Exactly. That loud knocking sound in the forest is one of nature's most interesting superpowers. Today we're learning about woodpeckers, the birds built to hammer trees. Woodpeckers peck trees for a few different reasons. First, they're looking for food. Inside tree bark live insects, beetle larvae, and ants. Woodpeckers use their beaks like tiny jackhammers to reach them.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

So they're basically drilling into the tree.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

Exactly. Once they find the insects, they use their super long sticky tongue to pull them out.

SPEAKER_03 2:39

Sticky tongue?

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Yes, a woodpecker's tongue can be almost three times longer than its beak. And when it's not using it, the tongue actually wraps around the back of its skull inside its head.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

That's really disgusting and weird.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

Nature is full of surprising designs.

SPEAKER_02 3:07

But how do they not get hurt from hitting the trees all day?

SPEAKER_01 3:10

That's the amazing part. Woodpeckers have several built-in protections. A super strong skull, special shock-absorbing bones, very powerful neck muscles, and a tiny brain that fits snugly inside the skull. All of these work together like a natural helmet.

SPEAKER_02 3:31

So their body was designed to handle the impact.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Exactly. A woodpecker can hit a tree 20 times per second and up to 12,000 times a day.

SPEAKER_02 3:42

That's a lot of knocking.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Alright, time for a quick joke break. Ivy, what do you have for us?

SPEAKER_02 3:54

Why did the woodpecker cross the road? Why? To get into the other pine.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Huh?

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Why did the woodpecker bring the pencil? Why? To draw some pectures of his favorite trees.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Woodpeckers don't just peck trees for food, they also carve holes in trees for their homes.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

So they build their own houses?

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Exactly. They dig nesting cavities where they raise their babies. And here's something cool. After woodpeckers move out, other animals move in. Animals like owls, your favorite animal, Hattie, squirrels, which Ivy calls scuolas, ducks, my favorite animal, and other small mammals.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

So woodpeckers build houses for other animals too?

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Yes. In nature life, one animal's work often helps many others.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

Death, did you know there are over 200 species of woodpeckers around the world? Some live in forests, some live in deserts, some even live in cities.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Yes, I heard that. You might hear them knocking on trees, wooden houses, or even telephone poles. Their drumming sound also helps them communicate with other woodpeckers.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

So they're basically sending messages by knocking.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Exactly. Alright, time for a few more woodpecker jokes. What do you have for us, Ivy?

SPEAKER_02 5:38

How did the woodpecker cross the tree? How?

SPEAKER_00 5:46

Huh?

SPEAKER_02 5:48

What did the owls say to the woodpecker?

SPEAKER_01 5:52

What?

SPEAKER_02 5:53

Hello, my name is Woodpecker.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Think about this. God designed a bird that can slam its head into a tree thousands of times and still stay perfectly safe.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

That's pretty incredible.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

It reminds us that animals are built in amazing ways by God to survive and thrive in their environments. Woodpeckers may seem like simple birds, but they have one of the most fascinating superpowers in nature. From shock-absorbing skulls to extra long tongues, everything about them is designed for life in the trees. Thanks for joining us on this week's Nature Loving Kids Podcast.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

If you like this episode, share it with a friend. And remember, click the follow button. New episode every Wednesday.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Until next time, stay curious, get outside, and remember, the world is full of wild wonders.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

If you really like this podcast, please send us a review. Me and Ivy really love the reviews.

SPEAKER_03 7:18

I read every one. Wait a minute, I can't read.