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From: rjn@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Re: Woodpeckers (cautionary note... why are they pecking?)
Message-ID: <34800005@hpfcmp.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 23:47:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpfcmp.34800005
Posted: Thu Oct 31 23:47:00 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Nov-85 06:37:03 EST
References: <232@rtp47.UUCP>
Organization: 31 Oct 85 21:47:00 MST
Lines: 21

re: "woodpeckers ...  sometimes they must peck just to peck.."

It may be a form of beak growth  control.  Parrot  beaks are said to grow at
up to 3 inches per year.  They grind the upper  mandible  down by chewing on
hard  materials  (lava rock or cuttlebone in the case of pets) and grind the
lower against the upper.  If a parrot can't control its beak growth,  you're
faced with beak  trimming,  which can be very  unpleasant,  since  there are
blood vessels surprisingly near the tip.

A woodpecker probably has a maximum beak length, or a maximum  distance that
it likes to maintain  between the tip of the beak and the tip of the tongue.
If the distance gets too great, the bird may drop the meal before it gets to
the back of the beak.  If the your region  contains  mostly soft woods (e.g.
pine vs oak), woodpeckers may be experiencing  excess beak growth, and using
your metal trim to compensate.

The pecking could also be to attract a mate.

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland                                            3404 East Harmony Road
[ihnp4|hplabs]!hpfcla!rjn                             Fort Collins CO  80525