# Weasel hitches ride on a woodpecker. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 4, 2015, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171 "2015-03-04T03:15:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/21 "2015-03-04T17:04:51Z")
Wouldn’t the song “You are the wind beneath my wings” be more appropriate? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/22 "2015-03-04T17:43:46Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The woodpecker was lucky to weasel its way out of this dilemma. 😃 Why I otter… ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/23 "2015-03-04T18:15:32Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Why I otter… Gopher it. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/24 "2015-03-04T18:24:41Z")
I’m gonna call bullshit on the picture. I know lots of unbeleivable stuff happens all the time but this one doesn’t feel right. Even a the least weasel would be at around 50% of the bird’s weight I know that weasels do attack bigger animals, even rabbits, but it looks too good to be true. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/25 "2015-03-04T18:34:52Z")
♫♬ A woodpecker took a weasel for a ride in the air. The weasel thought that everything was on the square ♫♬ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/26 "2015-03-04T19:53:43Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > I’m gonna call bullshit on the picture. I know lots of unbeleivable stuff happens all the time but this one doesn’t feel right. Even a the least weasel would be at around 50% of the bird’s weight > > I know that weasels do attack bigger animals, even rabbits, but it looks too good to be true. I see no reason to doubt it, particularly in view of the fact that it’s not just a single photo, it’s a sequence of at least four. Woodpeckers are very strong and robust birds. A small weasel might be as little as 15% of the weight of a large Green Woodpecker. And the bird didn’t carry it very far before falling to the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/27 "2015-03-04T20:09:02Z")
I particularly like the parody with Putin. How do you say “Hi Yo, Weasel!” in Russian? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/28 "2015-03-04T21:54:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I see no reason to doubt it, particularly in view of the fact that it’s not just a single photo, it’s a sequence of at least four. Woodpeckers are very strong and robust birds. A small weasel might be as little as 15% of the weight of a large Green Woodpecker. And the bird didn’t carry it very far before falling to the ground. If it’s faked, it’s VERY well done. Also: > **[National Geographic](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/)** > > Explore National Geographic. A world leader in geography, cartography and exploration. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/29 "2015-03-05T10:02:30Z")
I ain’t clicking on any link that ends with “pecker-photos”… ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/30 "2015-03-05T13:48:57Z")
Wow, the British have pretty woodpeckers! ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/31 "2015-03-05T18:52:16Z")
I apologize for doing this, but “How much woodpecker would a woodchuck peck if a woodchuck could peck woodpeckers?” I know who stupid it is. Back off. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/32 "2015-03-05T22:16:14Z")
Weasels are far smaller than I thought. I really thought the image had been Photoshopped, but if Wikipedia is to be believed, weasels are between 6.8 to 8.5 in, and Green Woodpeckers range between 8.25 to 8.5 in. So I suppose a weasel at the low end could in fact be carried by a Green Woodpecker at the upper end. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/33 "2015-03-05T22:29:25Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Weasels are far smaller than I thought. I really thought the image had been Photoshopped, but if Wikipedia is to be believed, weasels are between 6.8 to 8.5 in, and Green Woodpeckers range between 8.25 to 8.5 in. So I suppose a weasel at the low end could in fact be carried by a Green Woodpecker at the upper end. Here’s a video of [Ozzy the rescue weasel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2CTVqt2wxU), playing with someone’s hand. It’s a good way of judging scale. Plus, the weasel is adorable. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/34 "2015-03-06T00:19:51Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Here’s a video of [Ozzy the rescue weasel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2CTVqt2wxU), playing with someone’s hand. It’s a good way of judging scale. Plus, the weasel is adorable. You are correct on both counts. They really are tiny. I thought they were bigger. You keep hearing about them going after chickens and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/35 "2015-03-06T00:45:59Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Weasels are far smaller than I thought. I really thought the image had been Photoshopped, but if Wikipedia is to be believed, weasels are between 6.8 to 8.5 in, and Green Woodpeckers range between 8.25 to 8.5 in. So I suppose a weasel at the low end could in fact be carried by a Green Woodpecker at the upper end. There’s a least weasel at my local zoo. It’s unbelievably tiny and so very, very cute. It can also [take down a rabbit](http://www.wildwnc.org/news-and-events/least-beasts) if so inclined. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/36 "2015-03-06T00:58:18Z")
That poor little weasel looks like it’s hanging on for dear life, probably scared to death. I can only imagine what what sound it would have made if it had fallen off. Pop ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/37 "2015-03-06T01:11:22Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I know who stupid it is. Back off. Wait, who is stupid again? (Some days I lose track of the large number of candidates.) ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/38 "2015-03-06T02:20:17Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Here’s a video of [Ozzy the rescue weasel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2CTVqt2wxU), playing with someone’s hand. It’s a good way of judging scale. Plus, the weasel is adorable. Aw, there simply aren’t enough awww’s to describe that little guy. I, too, was leaning toward believing the woodpecker and weasel were faked but since **Colibri** says it could happen, I happily stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/39 "2015-03-06T02:57:55Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Wait, who is stupid again? > > (Some days I lose track of the large number of candidates.) Me type pretty one day. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171/40 "2015-03-06T04:47:15Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > They really are tiny. I thought they were bigger. You keep hearing about them going after chickens and stuff. There are several different species of weasel. Some of them are a good bit bigger than the little guy in that photo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-hitches-ride-on-a-woodpecker/714171.md?page=3)