EUROPEAN GREEN WOODPECKER

Which male woodpecker is this and why does he arouse so much interest and argument?                   

(Hint: Europeans call them ‘rain birds’)

Okay, what would us Aussies know about woodpeckers anyway?  Probably not much because there are none in Oz and most of us have probably never seen one in action.

Apparently they are remarkable birds for several reasons:

·    heavy duty beak mounted on a shock-absorbing cartilage
·    unique feathers to prevent woodchips entering the nostrils
·    the thickest skull for body weight of any creature
·    2 toes forward and 2 toes rearward, unlike most birds
·    resilient tail feathers provide tripod support

            and last but not least -

·    the eyes open and close BETWEEN EACH IMPACT so progress can be monitored, without the eyeballs popping out!  WOW!

Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

Here he is, the European Green Woodpecker, with a tongue that is unique in the animal kingdom. Apparently it passes down from the back of the throat to the back of the neck then under the skin of the skull to a hole between its eyes, in one nostril, then out through the beak, ending with a barbed tip complete with glue.  Why doesn’t the glue foul the beak? There is a solvent secreted within the beak that neutralizes the glue. 

How’s that for a design both clever AND weird?                                           

Why is it so difficult to find information in textbooks on the incredible features of this amazing creature and why does the debate turn nasty with the attempt to defend its ‘evolution’?

Photo credit: creationcrusade.weebly.com