Thursday, April 26, 2018

W: Woodpecker


See the source image

The woodpecker is a familiar sight and sound in many places around the world, with the exception of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Madagascar, and the poles. It has a strong, straight beak and a sticky tongue for finding and extracting insects from tree trunks and branches. Interestingly, the pecking causes the bird's skull to heat up, which is why they do it in bursts with cool-down breaks in between. They can be noisy little buggers, especially if they decide to start drumming on your chimney or rainspouts.

The birds also figure prominently in religion and mythology. They are considered lucky by many western Native Americans, and bring happiness and friendship. Europeans thought the birds were harbingers of changes in the weather. The Babylonians associated them with fertility. In Greek mythology, the woodpecker was a bird of prophecy and magical powers and was sacred to Zeus and Ares. In Roman mythology, it was named Picus and was widely worshiped in ancient Italy. The early Christians weren't huge fans, however, and identified woodpeckers with the devil.

Thanks to the red-headed trouble-maker named Woody Woodpecker, the bird has been a part of American popular culture since 1940. In this guise, Woody embodies the trickster--the cunning and/or foolish rule-breaker.

For any of you unfamiliar with Woody's iconic laugh, here it is (apologies in advance):


 

5 comments:

  1. What, I live in one of the few countries in the world that doesn't have them? Not fair! ;-)

    I remember Woody from my childhood TV watching. Thanks for bringing back the memories. Nice way to see him, as a trickster figure!

    W Is For Gabrielle Wang

    https://suebursztynski.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-w-is-for.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was surprised to learn they didn't live all over the world. They seem very common to me!

      Delete
  2. One of my favorite birds ... very commonly found in the Western Ghats in India. Enjoyed the video :)

    Seema, participant in #AtoZchallenge, Artist, Writer, Wanderer, and Dreamer.
    Waiting at Bikaner House, Delhi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are very interesting birds, and I'm glad to know another place where they can be found!

      Delete
  3. Lots of woodpeckers live on my property. I love the sound of them. I didn't know any of the information you shared. Thanks, Jenny.

    ReplyDelete