Woodpecker Skull

Diagram of a woodpecker skull showing the hyoid bone wrapping around the skull. This extremely elongated bone is one of several evolutionary adaptations that protect a woodpecker's brain from damage when it drums on hard surfaces.

Black-and-white anatomical illustration of a woodpecker skull in cross-section, showing the beak, eye, jaw, and internal skull structures.
Photo courtesy of Geoffrey E. Hill
Black-and-white anatomical illustration of a woodpecker skull in cross-section, showing the beak, eye, jaw, and internal skull structures.