i knew a girl who could do that

It's only to prevent damage, not concussions. They benefit from concussions and the scarring it causes. It's one more part of their "helmet".

Edit: IM WRONG THERE HAS BEEN BETTER RESEARCH AND I CANT FIND THE ARTICLE ON BRAIN SCARRING.

Edit 2: here's a better reason:

"The size and orientation of the bird’s brain safeguard it, the authors say. Even the strongest of wood pecks left the bird brains with less than 60% of the pressure needed to give a human brain a concussion."

https://www.science.org/content/article/contrary-popular-belief-woodpeckers-don-t-protect-their-brains-when-headbanging-trees

I like to lick my brain too

You know evolution is lazy when it's solution to an impact cushion is just reusing the tongue

What a weird bird. But also pretty cool adaptation.

Wow, that is really interesting. Thanks for sharing

TIL Gene Simmons should have been a football player