Woodpeckers have several different adaptations to deal with the unique hazards caused by their habits of chiseling and excavating wood, to either create a nest cavity or searching for insects.
One hazard they face is that when chipping away wood and bark are the stray splinters flying through the air, especially so close to their nares(nostrils). If you look at the base of a woodpecker’s upper beak, you’ll notice that they have a tuft of feathers there. These feathers act as an external filter, protecting their nares and respiratory system from accidently getting any wood fragments or dust in them.
