Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016
Woodpecker: Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker
The Profiles
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Wherever woodpeckers live, they have been considered magical birds with powers of prophecy. They were believed to be able to forecast weather, and in many countries they were known as rain birds. In his play The Birds, Greek writer Aristophanes (c. 450—388 BCE) told a story of how Zeus became the god of thunder after stealing the woodpecker’s scepter. From ancient Greece to the Teutonic tribes of Germany and the Pueblo people of North America, these birds were associated with thunder and lightning. In addition, woodpeckers were thought to have the ability to avert lightning, and their feathers were used for protection against it.
In Norse legend, the woodpecker’s association with thunder and lightning made it a bird of Thor. According to Etruscan legend, red-headed woodpeckers were actually red-cap fairies. In both Greece and Rome, woodpeckers were considered omens of good luck. According to Roman myth, Circe, a goddess of magic, turned King Picus, a seer and the son of Saturn, into a woodpecker. In addition, Pan was said to have been hatched from a woodpecker’s egg.
The woodpecker’s drumming sound is not produced while feeding instead the noise substitutes for a call or a song. This drumming noise gave rise to an association with shamans and the ability to communicate with deities. According to folklore, these birds were believed to have access to a magical herb called springwort, which was said to grow where humans could not find it. Springwort was believed to provide woodpeckers with the mystical ability to open secret places and to locate hidden treasure.
Woodpeckers use their stiff tails as props for support and balance as they move around on trees. Although the northern flicker can climb tree trunks like other woodpeckers, it usually gets its food on the ground. There are two colorations of northern flickers: The one called yellow-shafted lives east of the Rocky Mountains, and the red-shafted lives in the westernmost states.
Magical Workings
Woodpecker is a bird of activation. It stimulates cycles, growth, and the mind. Shamanic work with this bird can awaken hidden knowledge and reveal the truth that you seek. Woodpecker is a guide for travelers in the mundane world and in other realms. It also provides protection and security, allowing you the freedom to fully experience your adventures.
Call on woodpecker for support in all forms of divination, and to aid in understanding any messages or prophecy you receive. It can also give your magic a boost especially spells for luck. If fertility is an issue, keep pictures or figurines of woodpecker on your altar, in your bedroom, and various places around your home to enhance your intention.
Make Connection
To connect with woodpecker energy, use two percussion sticks, drumsticks, or two pieces of wood to clap together. Find a rhythm that you can sustain, close your eyes, and focus on the sound. If you feel a shift in consciousness, allow it to occur and bring the image of a woodpecker into your mind. Wait to see if it will interact with you. If it does, let woodpecker guide you.
Associations
Zodiac: Aries
Element(s): Air, earth, fire
Gods: Ares, Buddha, Jupiter, Mars, Pan, Silvanus, Zeus
Tree: Oak
Flower: Peony
Solar system: Mars
Bird Identification
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Size: 5½ to 7 inches
Wingspan: 10 to 12 inches
Comparative size: Sparrow
Description: Straight, chisel-shaped bill; blocky head; wide shoulders; straight-backed posture; upperparts checkered black and white; black wings with white spots; face streaked black and white; outer tail feathers white with a few black spots
Male: Red patch on back of head
Range: From Alaska across Canada to Labrador, south throughout the United States except a few parts of the Southwest and Texas
Habitat: Open woodlands, orchards, city parks, and backyards
Eggs: White
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Size: 10 to 14 inches
Wingspan: 16 to 20 inches
Comparative size: Robin to pigeon
Description: Rounded head; slightly down-curved bill; long, flared tail tapers to a point; brown overall with patterns of black spots, bars, and crescents; white rump patch
Yellow-shafted: Yellow wing linings; red patch on nape. Male: Black mustache
Red-shafted: Reddish to salmon-pink wing linings. Male: Red mustache
Range: From Alaska east to Newfoundland and south throughout the United States except southern Arizona; also in parts of Mexico and Central America
Habitat: Parks, large gardens, open country with trees, swamps, and marsh edges
Eggs: White
Collective noun(s): A descent of woodpeckers