Built-in hammers!
During autumn, you can see squirrels collecting acorns. But woodpeckers also love acorns! The acorn woodpecker is famous for hoarding acorns. In our garden, we occasionally have a visit from green woodpeckers. This stunning green bird has a red crown. Both sexes have a moustache stripe, but the male’s is red in the centre, while the female’s is solid black. Growing up, I remember spending time watching a woodpecker drilling into a big pine tree in our garden. The bird stood out not only because of its stunning red, white and black feathers but also because of the drum solos. This musician makes a sound that echoes through the forest and woke me up early in the morning.
Woodpeckers use their drumming to communicate messages such as attracting a mate or claiming a territory. They search for hollow or dead trees to make as much noise as possible. Yet, they can be very creative and use fence posts, utility poles and a range of other man-made objects. A loud drumming means that it is a strong woodpecker telling competitors to “Stay away!” and “This is my home!”
Sometimes, you can hear a whacking sound. Woodpeckers can hear insects making a chewing sound under the bark. They peck away a bit of the bark and use their long tongues to catch insects, such as caterpillars, ants, spiders, or wood-boring beetles.
Two photos of a female and male white-backed woodpecker. The white-backed woodpeckers have a larger head and beak than similar species.
You are in for a treat if you are lucky to spot a woodpecker in the forest or in your garden. Their tongues and skulls are interesting to explore from a biomimicry perspective, so I will return to these remarkable birds in another blog post.
Featured photo [File:Dendrocopos leucotos 2.jpg|Dendrocopos leucotos 2]
Go here to read the blog post Woodpeckers: Fantastic Long Tongue and Amazing Skull
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.
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