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A woodpecker’s pointy tongue stretches three times longer than its bill and contains tiny, rear-facing barbs. The barbs prevent insects from escaping when the woodpecker retracts its tongue from the tree. |
![]() Animal Bites Where at the Zoo Conservation Status
Habitat Taxonomic Category Where in the World See Also
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus These year-round residents are Minnesota’s biggest woodpeckers and may be the largest remaining in North America. What They Eat Where They Live What They Do How They’re Doing ![]() Animal Bites Where at the Zoo Conservation Status
Habitat Taxonomic Category Where in the World See Also
Pileated Woodpecker
Both male and female pileated woodpeckers sport a red crest on top of their head. The male has a red "mustache” and the female's is black. Because of the large holes they make, Pileated woodpeckers can sometimes cause a small tree to break in half.
Pileated Woodpecker
Care at the Zoo Bird exhibits at the zoo are set up to mimic the same habitat the individuals would have in the wild. Woodpeckers hammer out holes in trees not only to look for food, but also to build nests. In order to satisfy their natural instinct to chisel away at tree trunks with their beaks, the zoo’s exhibit team built an artificial nest cavity in one of the trees in their exhibit. To keep the birds challenged, the entrance to the nest cavity can be blocked with pieces of wood or filled with woodchips to give them more to excavate. In addition to enrichment provided by the zookeepers, the birds in our Minnesota Trail outdoor aviary are frequently visited by wild birds. This includes several pileated woodpeckers that make their home on zoo grounds. They often “visit” our woodpeckers and can be seen on the other side of the exhibit looking in. Unlike the their wild visitors, zoo birds have the option of escaping the elements. They can take advantage of the heat lamps in their aviary or they can go indoors. Even when given a choice, the birds generally prefer to remain outside and use exhibit trees and shrubs for cover. |
