How do woodpeckers avoid brain injury?

Woodpeckers peck at trees at high speed, sometimes dozens of times per second, without obvious injury because their anatomy is specially adapted to the motion. Their skulls are shaped to manage impact, and the brain is cushioned by tissues that help reduce shock. Their beaks and neck muscles also help control the direction of force. In addition, the bird’s tongue is long and specialized, helping it extract insects from wood. Scientists study woodpecker anatomy to design better impact protection materials and helmets.