Woodpeckers pound away day after day, banging their bills (and heads) into trees. You would think they would get headaches and, more importantly, would suffer serious brain damage, just like some football players. Scientists have long known that woodpeckers had special padding to protect their brains. So we have assumed that woodpeckers brains are safe — until now.
It turns out that woodpeckers do show signs of brain wear. But it may not be as damaging for them as it can be for humans. Check out this article on the Audubon web site to learn more.