How do woodpeckers avoid brain injury while pecking?

Woodpeckers avoid brain injury through several adaptations. Their skulls have a spongy bone structure that absorbs shock, and their brains are tightly packed within the skull, preventing movement during impact. Additionally, they have a thick, muscular neck and a specialised beak that dissipates the force of pecking. The hyoid bone, which wraps around their skull, also acts as a shock absorber. These adaptations allow woodpeckers to peck at trees up to 20 times per second without harm.