On Christmas morning, a male Hairy Woodpecker staggered into the yard like a drunken reveler who'd said too much at the previous nights office party. Technically he did not stagger, he flew, but judging by his injuries he had reason to reel. His head was bloodied and his right eye was closed. A pine needle clung to matted cheek feathers and a pink stain of blood suffused his upper chest.

The woodpecker made his way to the suet feeder, and I picked up my binoculars to further assess his injuries. Apart from the obvious blood about the head and upper chest, he had a mauled look to his rump area and could not completely close his mouth.

If a bird is severely injured during winter, suet feeders can be life-savers or at least, life-prolongers. This Hairy Woodpecker hacked off suet chunks with his beak, and managed with some difficulty to swallow the pieces. I studied his slightly agape mouth while he sat on the trunk of a fir tree, and decided the slight gap was caused by fat lodged in his throat that kept his bill open. Next, the woodpecker flew to the step railing and grabbed clumps of snow - obviously he was thirsty. He then flew behind the house and was gone. I wondered if he would make it through the night.

On Boxing Day, my injured Woodpecker was back looking much the same as on the previous day. This time I studied him before he fed and noticed that his bill was slightly open at all times. Birds must keep their body heat in cold weather and an injury like this had the potential to kill by hypothermia. An askew beak would make preening difficult, if not impossible. This inability to groom was probably why the Hairy Woodpecker's feathers were still unkempt and matted with blood. He gamely hopped onto the suet feeder, gorged himself, and then flew off.

The day after Boxing Day there was activity around the umbrella feeder. Close inspection revealed the injured Hairy Woodpecker, pecking away at suet I'd put in with the black sunflower seeds - a secret stash for Chickadees kept away from the suet feeders by larger birds. Again I studied the injured Hairy through binoculars. I easily made out the pine needle clinging to the matted cheek feathers, but could not see if the right eye was injured or open. So far, I'd made the assumption that he could see well enough to get around.

Only the Hairy Woodpecker knows for sure what caused his injuries - a battle with a car, a battle with a hawk, or a night intruder - but after enduring through three days with nightly temperatures of minus 15 Celsius, it is likely the woodpecker will survive. A partially open beak is the biggest obstacle to recovery but given time it may heal, and if it does heal, I see no reason why he would not regain his strength. All I can do is keep the suet well stocked and the water basin filled.