Evolutionary and Biomechanical Basis of Drumming Behavior in Woodpeckers

Understanding how and why behavioral traits diversify during the course of evolution is a longstanding goal organismal biologists. Historically, this topic examined from an ecological perspective, where thought to occur in response selection pressures that arise through different social environmental factors. Yet physiology biomechanics also play role process by defining types are more or less likely arise. Our paper explores interplay between ecological, physiological, mechanical factors shape elaborate display woodpeckers called drum. Individuals produce behavior rapidly hammering their bill on trees habitat, it serves as aggressive signal territorial encounters. We describe components display—namely, speed (bill strikes/beats sec –1 ), length (total number beats), rhythm—differentially evolve sexual male-male competition, whereas other appear evolutionarily static, possibly due morphological physiological constraints. synthesize research related principles avian muscle ecology guide inferences about biomechanical basis woodpecker drumming. aim introduce ideal study system relates born