Woodpecker
A woodpecker is a bird that pounds its beak into a tree's outer surface to look for food.
The woodpecker's strong, pointed beak acts as both a chisel and a crowbar to remove bark and find hiding insects. It has a very long tongue, up to four inches in some species - with a glue-like substance on the tip for catching insects. While most birds have one toe pointing back and three pointing forward on each foot, woodpeckers have two sharply clawed toes pointing in each direction to help them grasp the sides of trees and balance while they hammer. Many woodpecker species also have stiffened tail feathers, which they press against a tree surface to help support their weight. There are over 180 species of woodpeckers.
On average, woodpeckers live for four to eleven years.[1]
External Links
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/woodpeckers.php
