why do woodpeckers peck at trees?

Question

I often wonder why the bird bangs away on a tree all day long.

Answer 1

according to http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/birdinfo/woodpeckers.htm

"Why Do Woodpeckers Peck?
Three Reasons:
1. They are trying to establish territories and attract mates.
This predominantly springtime behavior, called drumming, generally is done in rapid succession on resonant dead tree trunks or limbs. However, buildings and utility poles, when available, are often alternatives. Drumming may occur a number of times during a single day, and may last for some days or weeks.

2. They are looking for food.
Woodpeckers naturally search vertical surfaces of tree trunks and branches for wood boring beetles, carpenter ants, and other insects. The pecking style used for feeding is much different from drumming. Only a few pecks are made and then the resulting hole is explored with the bird's bill and tongue. This behavior will continue until an insect is found or the bird is satisfied that one is not there. Then the woodpecker may hop a few inches away and peck at another place...

3. They are excavating a nest cavity.
This is usually done on a dead tree or broken snag."

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Why Do Woodpeckers Peck

Answer 4

A woodpecker can peck 20 times a second.

Answer 5

It may be two fold.
Food and Sex. I not sure how reliable the link is.
Why do peckers peck? To excavate insects and their larvae from under bark, or out of wood itself. Beyond that, the racket from all the banging is a signal. Now as a birder I appreciate that look-over-here sound, but it's not me the bird's interested in. The bird is announcing its presence to others of its kind. This makes more understandable the flickers you can see around the KU campus banging on aluminum light poles and shades. These resonating objects make a very satisfying report when whacked upon. I presume other flickers in the vicinity, having heard the tapping, take him to be quite the guy.
http://nhm.ku.edu/woodpecker/skinny.shtml

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
why do woodpeckers peck at trees?
I often wonder why the bird bangs away on a tree all day long.

Answer 7

Watch Disney's the Fox and the Hound. The woodpecker is not only funny, but for you it would be a demonstration of why peckers peck.

Answer 8

well they peck holes to find food. Bugs live in the bark and the woodpecker like to eat the bugs. They burrow into the bark in search for dinner.

Answer 9

Woodpeckers feed on insects in the outer bark of trees.

Answer 10

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