Woodpecker Symbolism & Meaning

Looking to stand out from the crowd? Are you called to Shamanic drumming and trancework? Woodpecker, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! Woodpecker teaches you the art of non-conformity and helps in achieving altered states of awareness. Delve deeply in Woodpecker symbolism and meaning to find out how this Animal Spirit Guide can guide, motivate, and animate you.

Woodpecker Table of Contents

• Woodpecker Symbolism & Meaning
• Spirit Animal
• Totem Animal
• Power Animal
• Native American Symbolism
• India Symbolism
• Woodpecker Dreams
• Far Eastern Symbolism
• Back to all Birds
• Back to all Spirit Animal Meanings

Woodpecker Symbolism & Meaning

“Repeat the truth with the speed of a woodpecker’s beak making holes in tree trunks!”
– Mehmet Murat ildan

Tap, tap, tap. Again and again, Woodpecker sends out Morse Code to the world. What does it all mean? Woodpecker symbolism is tied to communication and resourcefulness. Woodpeckers find the hidden treasures in a tree’s trunk which sustain them. What treasures do you need to hunt for within the tree of self?

If you are walking in the woods, there’s no question that Woodpecker can grab your attention. The Woodpecker knocks at our awareness. Are you opening that door?

Shamans and Wise people liken that Woodpecker’s hammering to the sound of the drum. In the human world, the reverberation of the drum is akin to a heartbeat. It is an instrument that’s part of so many rituals and ceremonies that it deserves an honored place in our spiritual pursuits. So perhaps Woodpecker reminds us to return to the simple, life-giving sound of our heart and listen well to its message.

Native Americans tell us that Woodpecker represents journeying into the astral plane. He is the emblem of messengers and prophets alike. Some find the Woodpeckers incessant tapping annoying, but there is a reason for that. Do you know the phrase, “don’t shoot the messenger”? People often struggle with the messages we get from Animal Spirits, Guides, and Teachers. Prophetic messages are often misunderstood. So, Woodpecker will continue his work until you sort those important lessons out.

The Romans associated Woodpecker Spirit with Mars, a planet with high, energetic vibrations. Astrologically Woodpecker has ties to Aries because Mars rules this Zodiac sign. Like the Woodpecker, the Ram is determined. They will finish what they start and keep repeating their wisdom until someone really listens. Woodpecker and Ram also both have a habit of initiating new things. They keep at that goal, pushing and pecking through all obstacles for success.

In the wild, Woodpeckers love Oak Trees; this bower represents strength, stability, wisdom, durability, and like the Woodpecker Spirit, prevailing. Other keywords and characteristics associated with Woodpecker include communication, attentiveness, determination, opportunity, active listening, solutions, inventiveness, omens, progress, instinct, tenacity, perception, wisdom, and the rhythm of life.

Anytime Woodpecker Animal Spirit comes into our world, it’s trying to hammer out a truth or a solution. There are ways around barriers. We just have to figure them out.

Woodpecker Spirit Animal

When Woodpecker Spirit Animal knocks on your door, you may have an opportunity that really stretches your creativity. When it comes, do not tarry, get distracted, or give up. Stick to it like glue and see what you proverbially “knock out.”

Woodpecker Spirit inspires two chakras: The Heart Chakra and the Root Chakra. The Heart inspires honesty with self, of staying true. The Root Chakra speaks of getting back to our roots, those things we hold sacred, and having solid foundations.

Another message Woodpecker may convey is being careful of your words. Pick terms wisely. Speak less, listen more. Don’t overcomplicate a matter that can be answered succinctly; this is part of Woodpecker’s focus on effective communication.

Beyond this, Woodpecker asks you are you giving too much of yourself. Kindness is a laudable attribute, but it is also one often abused. Listen to both your heart and head before volunteering help. There will be times you need the energy you give to others for your own situations.

Finally, how are you doing in matters of resourcefulness? Have you tapped all your options? Have you created an organized plan for maintaining your stability mundanely and spiritually? If not, Woodpecker has arrived offering help.

Woodpecker Totem Animal

Those born with the Woodpecker Totem Animal know a good opportunity when they see it. They wait for that wonderful knock and seize the day. It doesn’t matter exactly what arrives; their perception of the situation is clear. It is time to act!

If Woodpecker is your Birth Totem, there is something in your DNA that beats out a rhythm. Be it the cadence of a day or the meter of a moment; this is something that provides comfort and security. When Woodpecker’s tempo gets disrupted, it makes for a very unhappy, ruffled feathered Bird.

When you walk with Woodpecker, you have the power of words at your beck and call. First, you gather attention. Once everyone is focused, then it’s time to layout your thoughts in simple, direct terms. Woodpecker is not one for beating around the bush.

The Woodpecker Totem sings the song of your heart loudly; this also means that your emotions, particularly in relationships, can be rather touchy. The challenge here is finding a way to balance those feelings. That’s where your Root Chakra comes in! Sit. Visualize roots growing downward and channel excess emotions through them.

On a happier note, Woodpecker people are wholly devoted to their friends and family. The acceptance they give you validates and strengthens you. People know you are loyal and always thinking about ways of making those in your circle happy. When someone is particularly hardened, you take on the task of pecking your way through and establishing rapport.

Woodpecker Power Animal

Call on Woodpecker as a Power Animal when you want to improve your communication skills; Woodpecker’s rapping stands out from all other sounds in nature and is easily recognizable. The creature helps you find your distinct voice while supporting clear, concise expression. By helping you refine the clarity of your message, it makes it easier for others to understand your signals, subtle cues, and unspoken communication.

Invoke Woodpecker when you’re looking for support in navigating through a difficult phase in your life. Woodpecker urges you to peck away at any obstacle that stands in your way, to forge onward in your endless search for truth, and to hammer out difficulties that arise by remaining determined and faithful to your course. While supporting you through the process of overcoming barriers, the creature also shows you resourceful ways to carve out your path, trust your intuition, and overcome any attempts to undermine your efforts.

Petition the help of Woodpecker as your Power Animal whenever you need support in acknowledging and receiving the blessings coming into your life. Look at the Bird’s rapping as an omen revealing the upcoming opportunities on the horizon; Woodpecker encourages you to remain ever-alert, aware, and at the ready to embrace all the good things coming your way.

Native American Woodpecker Symbolic Meanings

In the Native American Animal Zodiac, Woodpecker appears from June 21- July 21. If your birthday comes during this time, it’s said that you are an active, empathetic listener. You always want to support the underdog. Woodpeckers make true-blue friends, faithful partners, and wise parents. No matter what happens to Woodpecker, she always seems to peck away until you find a healthy answer. Overall the Woodpecker personality is upbeat, sweet, and somewhat romantic.

Generally, Native Americans regard Woodpecker as fortunate symbols of joy and kinship. Woodpecker feathers adorned a variety of ritual items, dance costumes, and headdresses. In the coastal Northwest tribes, Woodpecker sometimes appears on totem poles.

The following is the Tejas Indian tale of When Woodpeckers were Indians. This story begins with the sacred mescal plant that grows in the desert. The buttons of the plant bestow magical power and inspire visions. Only Medicine Men were allowed to use this plant. Should anyone else try to do, so it brought horrible luck to that person.

Of course, in any group of people, you will have at least one who doesn’t heed sound warnings. One man was curious about mescal buttons. He snuck into the desert to the growing grounds where the plants lay. Reaching down, he plucked one and ate it. It tasted wonderful, so he ate more.

In a rather short time, he began to see odd things. The desert was no longer dark light the night. In it, all manner of things moved. He thought them to be the Gods, so he walked to them. In that presence, he fell and fell into a deep sleep.

Come the next day, the young man bragged to other boys in the tribe about his experience. They, too, wanted to give it a try. Upon eating the buttons, they all had visions. Now, parents aren’t totally unaware of their children. When confronted, the boys recited their experience to their fathers, then mothers, and eventually, the whole tribe were consuming the mescal buttons.

The Medicine Man repeated his reproach, reminding them that trouble would come. Sure enough, over time, the only thing the tribe did was consume mescal and sleep. There was no hunting, weaving, sowing crops – everything simply stopped. Children wandered, having been forgotten by their mothers. They moved out of the village, seeking food alone.

Yet, there was one young mother who had not eaten heavily of the mescal. She woke and found all the children gone. She went person to person, shaking them awake and telling them the children were missing. What no one knew, however, is that Maniou, a sky God, saw the poor children and decided to help them. He placed each one in a hollow tree where predators could not harm them and where they would have shade from the blazing sun.

As the tribe searched for their children, The Manitou came to them and told them about his help. The tribe cried, asking whom they could have them returned home. The Manitou decided that the tribe would become Birds so they could look for their child in the hollow trees. Once found, the Birds would return to human form.

The Manitou weaved his magic, turning their black robes int feathers, and the decorative feathers in their hair became a redhead. They immediately flew off, tapping tree to tree. To this day, they continue to hunt for their lost children, tree to tree.

The following is the Wyandot tale: The Story of the Woodpecker Gray. Our story begins with a lovely village girl who had a grey Woodpecker servant. When the girl was preparing to dance, Woodpecker dressed her, worked her hair, and painted her face in every hue. Once his work was done, all the paint pots, beads, and decorations got locked neatly away.

Now our little grey Woodpecker looked at himself and felt drab. He wished his feathers could be red. Then opportunity struck. One day the girl left for her dance and there on the floor was a brush of red paint.

Upon seeing it, he realized he could make himself truly pretty. He picked up the brush and pulled it across his head with two tiny stripes that he wears to this day.

Woodpecker as a India Animal Symbol

The following is the tale of the Woodpecker, Turtle & Deer from India. We find Deer, Woodpecker, and Turtle all living near a lake. They were true friends and very happy. Unfortunately, one day a hunter found deer tracks and decided to follow them, laying a trap.

That night Deer got caught in the trap. He cried out, and Woodpecker flew to his side, and Turtle likewise came out to see how they could help. Woodpecker suggested having the Turtle chew through the leather in the trap while he watched the hunter’s home.

Come morning, the hunter gathered a knife and started toward the lake. Woodpecker flapped her wings, striking hunter smack-dab in the face. That startled him, so he went to rest awhile before trying again. Then he thought to himself that if the Woodpecker was by the front door, it was wise to go out the back. He was not the only one to have this idea, however. Woodpecker also moved to the backdoor flapping in his face.

The third time the hunter went out, Woodpecker flew as fast as he could to his friends to warn them. Turtle already gnawed through most of the trap, and upon hearing of the approaching hunter, Deer made one strong pull, breaking the rest of the trap.

Deer and Woodpecker could move away, but Turtle was exhausted from her efforts. The hunter took advantage of this, tossing Turtle into a bag and tied it to a tree. Well, this situation simply would not do.

Deer acted as a distraction leading the hunter deep into the forest. He then turned back around and used his horns to release Turtle from the bag. All three returned to the safety of their hiding spots, and the hunter never found them. They continued as friends for the rest of their lives.

Woodpecker Dreams

Woodpecker portends happy occasions and luck. When Woodpecker flies into your dreamscape, it indicates a real-world situation where you need assistance but hasn’t reached out. If you hear the Woodpecker drumming out its song, you are about to enter a spiritually oriented time in your life, often a period dealing with magic.

Seeing Woodpecker in the woods indicates your ability to communicate about an important issue or to recognize something of vital importance you’ve overlooked. Catching Woodpecker in a dream means you need to focus on yourself and to stay true to your voice.

Woodpecker knocking in your dreams says to pay attention, watch, and listen. If the Woodpecker flies in circles around you, slowly moving outward, this is a message of personal expansion. It’s time to seek out your bliss rather than staying in a dead-end situation.

Being attacked by Woodpecker represents stress and a sense of being trapped. If you see a dead Woodpecker in dreams, it foretells of problems at work, particularly with a person of authority. If the Woodpecker annoys you, it implies you are on the verge of losing control or snapping because of some offense you take personally. It also suggests you are ignoring the messages from Spirit.

Woodpecker Symbolic Meanings Key

• Attentiveness
• Communication
• Investigation
• Non-conformity
• Perception
• Rhythm
• Shamanism
• Trance
• Uniqueness
• Wisdom