Nature is brutal. And apparently, woodpeckers are particularly so. In case you’ve been wondering, woodpeckers will sometimes eat the brains of baby birds. They sure will. And not only that, but they will drill their way to the good stuff with vigor.
How often do great spotted woodpeckers eat other birds’ chicks? … The great spotted woodpecker is an omnivore which eats a mixture of insects and seeds (mainly conifer). But they’ll also take eggs and even young birds from nest holes and boxes. This is probably Europe’s most belligerent woodpecker species.
As foragers woodpeckers find their food where they can and this includes from other birds’ nests, and they will take eggs and chicks from nesting boxes and nests. Appearances can be deceptive, as they can be quite merciless when they eat.
While investigating, the researchers discovered that woodpecker would often drill through the skull of baby birds, which isn’t the sight to see, at least not for those with weak stomach.
