Woodpecker Myth Buster Quiz

What is the average number of times a woodpecker smashes its beak against a hard surface in a day?

• 5,000 times

• 10,000 times

• 15,000 times

• 20,000 times

What kind of injury is caused by a blow to the skull?

• Bruise

• Concussion

• Sprain

• Fracture

What was the assumption about woodpeckers' heads protecting their brains during pecking?

• Spongy bone in the birds’ skulls absorbed and lessened the shock of each impact

• Thick cartilage in the birds’ skulls absorbed and lessened the shock of each impact

• Metallic plate in the birds’ skulls absorbed and lessened the shock of each impact

• Hollow space in the birds’ skulls absorbed and lessened the shock of each impact

What did the researchers use to capture the rapid movement of woodpeckers' heads?

• Thermal cameras

• Normal cameras

• High-speed cameras

• Underwater cameras

What did the researchers find about the movement of the birds’ heads during pecking?

• The heads moved as one stiff unit

• The heads squished between the skull and beak

• The heads twisted during pecking

• The heads remained stationary during pecking

What would happen to a woodpecker's pecking performance with a shock-absorbing skull?

• It would become more efficient

• It would be greatly reduced

• It would remain the same

• It would greatly improve

What did the researchers simulate to compare the force of the pecks?

• Woodpecker's beak length

• Woodpecker's diet

• Woodpecker's wing span

• Woodpecker's skull with and without shock absorbers

Why can woodpeckers' brains tolerate the constant pecking without damage?

• Because their brains are sensitive

• Because their brains are cushioned

• Because their brains are large

• Because their brains are small

What did the researchers hope their research would help change?

• The behavior of woodpeckers

• The habitat of woodpeckers

• The diet of woodpeckers

• The understanding of woodpecker anatomy