Nature's Shock absorber...

The Pileated woodpecker are the largest species of woodpecker found in North America and posses many useful adaptations.

Pileated Woodpeckers have sharp, chisel-shaped beaks and strong neck muscles specially adapted for hammering large holes in trees. The Woodpecker's beak and neck are so strong the bird has been known to split smaller trees in two whilst looking for carpenter ants.

They also have specialised tongues nearly four times as long as their beaks. The tongue itself is sticky and has a barbed end, which allows the Woodpecker to spear its prey and bring it back to its beak without the insect escaping. Beyond its length, the Pileated Woodpecker's tongue is extremely muscular and elastic, allowing it to travel easily through the holes and burrows created by the bird's beak. Their extra-long tongue bone wraps around their entire skull to act like a shock absorber, which is very useful to avoid headaches or damage as the hammer.

While most birds have three toes facing forward and one facing backward, so that they can perch, pileated woodpeckers have two facing forward and two facing backward. This allows them to grip bark more effectively and gives a steady foundation when pecking a hole in a tree. The Pileated Woodpecker also has very stiff tail feathers, which provide the bird with better balance when gripping an object.