Below is a small puppet of a red-bellied woodpecker.  This fellow has a minor role at the end of part one of the play The Two Deaths of John Beartrist Laceroot, performed by The School of the Transfer of Energy Puppet Theater.  It is carved from red cedar and is operated by a system of strings, weights and elastic.

Here is a view of the mechanics on the reverse side.  He opens his mouth and flaps his wing.