We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
8402 Old Sauk Road
Madison (Middleton), WI 53562
Phone: (608) 664-1414
Fax: (608) 664-1416
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Comments:
Location: We are located just West of the beltline exit to Old Sauk Road, next to Walgreens, at the intersection of Old Sauk Road and Junction Road.
Woodpeckers are hard-headed. It comes with the territory.
When excavating, woodpeckers can strike a tree at speeds up to 15 mph. This is enough force to create brain damage in most other birds, and certainly in our human brain. But due to a number of adaptations, woodpeckers thrive on this heavy hitting.
Woodpeckers' skulls are incredibly strong, yet lightweight, due to a reinforcing meshwork of bony support struts. This skull structure moderates the impact of the blows while transmitting the force away from the brain.
With all that pounding, why doesn’t a woodpecker’s bill wear down to a dull nub? It does wear down, however, special cells at the tip of the bill constantly replace the lost material, keeping the bill strong and sharp.
Woodpeckers' tails are as tough as their bills. Woodpeckers’ pointed tail feathers are especially strong and rigid, and their tail bones, lower vertebrae and the tail’s supporting muscles are very large in comparison to other birds.
These modifications allow a woodpecker's tail to serve as a sturdy prop that supports its weight while clinging to trees.
