Woodpeckers are birds with a strong, straight, angular bill. They use this bill to hammer a hole into the wood high up in the trees – preferably in deadwood, i.e. the wood of dying or dead trees that will one day fall over. They hammer to build nest holes, to find food, to mark their territory acoustically or to communicate with members of their own species. To be able to withstand the hammering, woodpeckers have a special skull that can cushion vibrations.
Look who's hammering
For us who are walking in the forest, the drumming sounds of these special animals are a tonal delight. To take part in the concert, a woodpecker has also been installed as part of the Toggenburg sound trail. Barely visible like the real birds, a percussion mechanism is attached high up in the tree, which can be triggered from below. Pulling on the rope triggers the tapping on the wood and plays a rhythm. Perhaps a winged percussion specialist will answer your call?
About the artist
Idea, concept and production: Hamper von Niederhäusern The Swiss wrought-iron artist and instrument maker Hamper von Niederhäusern lives and works in Winterthur. In his metal workshop, he designs and produces furniture and metal components for the building trade. In 1989, he also built the first fundamental and overtone tuned bars for xylophones and marimbas and opened the instrument-making atelier ‘Vonie’
vonie.ch ↗
