Woodpecker spiritual meaning Recently, we have received several questions from our readers such as the following: What does it mean to see a woodpecker in my house? Did I find a dead witchcraft woodpecker? Could you post about what a woodpecker in your house means? Does the woodpecker have spiritual significance?
In view of this concern shown by the woodpecker in the spiritual, today we are going to clarify these questions:
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General features
Woodpeckers belong to the Picidae family, which is home to some 240 different species that also include grosbeaks and wrynecks.
Many woodpeckers have olive green, gray, brown, black, and white plumage that helps them blend in with their arboreal surroundings.
However, they usually have red plumage, either around the head or around the tail, making them fairly easy to identify, even for amateur birders. In addition, it has tufts of plumage in the form of a crest on its head (a striking feature that reminds us of the comic strip «the crazy bird».)
Likewise, it has a medium-length, sharp and visibly strong beak, with which they «peck» the wood, creating that recognizable drum sound and a very long tongue that they use to feed.
Let’s see, next, the woodpecker spiritual and esoteric meaning.
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its symbolisms
Woodpecker spiritual meaning #1 Growth and progress. Woodpeckers are very determined. Most are known to insistently tap on tree trunks in search of insect larvae. In this sense, they know that the first tap probably won’t reveal anything, but that doesn’t stop them.
These birds are powerful symbols of relentless growth and progress. They find an area that looks promising and stick with it.
If you see or hear a woodpecker, it may be a sign that you are on the right track. You may feel frustrated at the time, but this situation could end up leading to more progress than you originally expected.
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Woodpecker spiritual meaning #2 The importance of stability. Woodpeckers are quite unique not just for what they do, but for how they are built. Unlike other perching birds, its talons form a distinctive X-shaped pattern. This is vitally important: that X-pattern allows them to cling to tree trunks and hold steady while hunting for food.
The spiritual meaning of seeing a woodpecker in the afternoon can indicate that you need to cultivate more stability in your life at this time. A stable environment provides a soft place to land when things go wrong, or you just need a way to rest and refresh yourself. Reliability and stability make it easier to gather the resources you need for growth and healing.
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Woodpecker spiritual meaning #3 Dedication and hard work. It’s not easy being a woodpecker, as biologically, they’ve evolved to withstand a lot: their beaks are made of three tough layers, and their hyoid (tongue) bones wrap around their skulls to cushion the impact of pecking bites. In this sense, we can see that it is a species made to prosper based on dedication and effort.
When you see a woodpecker early in the morning, the spiritual meaning may be that you are currently working hard and will be rewarded for it. If you feel like you are trying hard and getting nowhere, this bird is here to let you know that your efforts will not go unnoticed.
On the other hand, sighting a woodpecker can also highlight the need to work hard. If you’re feeling frustrated and nothing ever seems to go your way, then the woodpecker may be here to urge you to get down to business.
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Woodpecker spiritual meaning #4 True love Woodpeckers are usually very solitary and territorial individuals. Some species jealously guard their resources and have elaborate ritual displays that they use to scare off competitors. Despite this, they can also be loving and devoted companions, many of whom practice monogamy. They carefully create safe and comfortable homes for their families and protect them from intruders.
The spiritual meaning of seeing a very bright red woodpecker is often considered a good luck omen in love.
If you see him, he may be about to receive true love in his life. It may not be romantic love, but there will be love nonetheless. If you are with someone, your commitment to each other may soon deepen and if you are single, you may soon find a partner!
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Woodpecker spiritual meaning #5 The value of communication In addition to being diligent birds, woodpeckers are very expressive. They don’t have the extensive call range that other birds have, but that doesn’t stop them. They use drumming, posture, and their plumage, as well as simple chirps and trills, to convey their message.
It may be that right now it is difficult for you to relate to others or that you end up “talking too much”. Seeing a woodpecker constantly banging it against a tree trunk can be a sign that the time has come to focus on your communication skills. Do you listen to others or wait your turn to speak? To what extent do others listen to you?
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Woodpecker spiritual meaning #6 Stand out. Woodpeckers occupy a niche in nature. Some are brilliant, some are inconspicuous, but all are unique animals. A woodpecker could never thrive trying to be a sparrow, and a sparrow could never survive trying to live like a woodpecker.
These birds live their authentic truth and don’t worry about fitting in. No matter what they look like or what noise they make, they carry on with pride and confidence.
Do you feel like you’re trying to fit into a role that doesn’t really fit you? Seeing a woodpecker constantly means that the time has come to abandon that role. You are not like anyone else in the world, so don’t be ashamed to stand out. The only path you can walk in life is your own.
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Woodpecker spiritual meaning #7 Pursue your goals When it comes to pursuing a goal, woodpeckers don’t give up. If they did, they would never get anywhere: they often need to peck very patiently to get what they want.
The spiritual meaning of woodpeckers can be an encouragement to pursue your goals. You may be feeling some frustration right now, and it’s normal. Don’t give up.
If you’re setting yourself a goal that seems out of reach, the woodpecker is here to let you know that you can achieve it. The path may not be easy, but it is doable with enough effort.
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Other symbolisms
Woodpecker spiritual meaning in ancient Rome. Birds may play key roles in the folklore and mythology of countless cultures, but they are rarely made into true gods! Picus was a woodpecker god allied to the Roman god of war and agriculture, Mars.
In Roman mythology, the cult of Picus was directly related to agriculture and the fertilization of the land with manure. In an agricultural civilization, this made the Picus woodpecker an indescribably important character.
Undoubtedly, the mythical status of the Roman woodpecker Picus was linked to the red plumage of the Great Spotted Woodpecker – common throughout Europe – since red was famous for being the color of Mars (planet and god) and signifying war.
In Greek mythology (from which most of Roman mythology derives), the woodpecker was equally sacred, only this time to the gods Zeus (god of thunder and the sky) and Ares (god of war and worth).
Woodpecker spiritual meaning among the Nordic peoples. The Vikings were obsessed with warfare, blacksmithing, and the all-powerful divine hammer Mjolnir, which belonged to the god of thunder and storms, Thor, son of Odin.
Is it any wonder then that they too associated the woodpecker with war and fighting? Apparently the loud hammering of the woodpecker’s pecks sounded to the ancient Norse like the pounding of a hammer on the hot steel of an ax in the making.
Perhaps, they must have wondered, the woodpecker is a symbol of Thor, and therefore of war and thunder, who works in the Scandinavian treetops creating his own hammers and weapons of war.
Woodpecker spiritual meaning in Celtic culture. The ancient Celtic druids held the oak in high esteem (in fact, “druid” could mean “oak connoisseur”). It is quite possible, therefore, that his symbolic reverence for the humble woodpecker stemmed from encounters with the acorn woodpecker, which chose to live only in oak trees.
The ancient Celts, with their shamanism and druidic rituals, like many other indigenous and pagan cultures around the world, considered the messenger birds to be divine: creatures that could flit between the world of the living and the world of the dead, between the world «real» and the spiritual.
When woodpeckers paid special attention to dead trees (because of the food they could find within them), the ancient Celts saw this reverence for the dead, leaving them with a special fondness for the woodpecker power animal, and a curious about its secrets.
Woodpecker spiritual meaning in the native peoples of America. Of course, North American woodpeckers left an equally vivid imprint on the folklore and mythology of the many disparate Native American tribes and First Nations.
Woodpeckers spend much of their time in the treetops – during the breeding season – building a home for themselves and their families. This is an arduous task, as it involves chipping huge amounts of wood and hollowing out vast tree trunks, all to provide safety and protection for their mates and chicks.
It is understandable, therefore, that woodpeckers in North America symbolized family values, the protection of the home, and the reward of hard work for many Native American peoples, some of whom incorporated a woodpecker totem into their ceremonies or featured the woodpecker as one of the most respected spirit animals of all nature’s children.
Other Amerindian cultures consider the woodpecker a bearer of friendship and happiness, while others (such as the Seminoles of present-day Florida) speak of its trickster nature.
For many natives, the drumming of the woodpecker, which…