The woodpeckers family members are found almost worldwide. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in treeless areas such as rocky hillsides and deserts. They range in size from 8-50cm. Many species exhibit patches of red and yellow on their heads and bellies, and these bright areas are important in signalling. Although the sexes of Picidae species tend to look alike, many have more prominent red or yellow head markings in males than in females.

Members of the family Picidae have strong bills for drilling and drumming on trees and long sticky tongues for extracting food. Species that use their bills in soil or for probing as opposed to regular hammering tend to have longer and more decurved bills. To prevent brain damage from the rapid and repeated decelerations, woodpeckers have evolved a number of adaptations to protect the brain. These include small brain size and the short duration of contact. The millisecond before contact with wood a thickened membrane closes, protecting the eye from flying debris. The nostrils are also protected; they are often slit-like and have special feathers to cover them. In addition to the strong claws and feet woodpeckers have short strong legs, this is typical of birds that regularly forage on trunks. The tails of most woodpeckers are stiffened, and when the bird perches on vertical surfaces, the tail and feet work together to support it. Picidae species can either be sedentary or migratory. [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Dendrocopos

Woodpecker, Great Spotted  Dendrocopos major  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by:   1) Slawomir Staszczuk   2) Andre Chatroux  3) Frank Vassen - Poland  4) Wojsyl 


Woodpecker, Middle-spotted  Dendrocopos medius  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Frank Vassen - Poland  2) Marek Szczepanek


Woodpecker, Syrian  Dendrocopos syriacus  Found: Europe, southwest Asia
Photographed by: Ofer Faigon - Jerusalem, Israel


Woodpecker, White-backed  Dendrocopos leucotos  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by Alastair Rae - Estonia
1) Male



Genus Dryocopus
These are large powerful woodpecks, usually with a black back and red on the head. In their quest for insects, as well as for rearing their young, they chip out large hoes in trees. For similarly appearing woodpeckers, see Campephilus and Chrysocolaptes.

Woodpecker, Black  Dryocopus martius  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: Alastair Rae - Finland



Genus Jynx

Wryneck, Eurasian   Jynx torquilla  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: Martien Brand - Netherlands



Genus Picoides
Birds in this genus are found mainly in North America

Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted  Picoides minor  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Zaltys - Finland  2) Andrze Luczak   3) Thermos - Finland


Woodpecker, (Eurasian) Three-toed  Picoides tridactylus   Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by:  1) Tatiana Bulyonkova - Iskitimsky, Novosibirskaya Oblast, Russia  2, 3) SergeyYeliseev - Moscow, Russian
1) Female  2, 3) Male



Genus Picus
The Picus typically have green upperparts. Genus Colaptes can be considered to be their New World counterparts.

Woodpecker, Green  Picus viridis  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by:  1) Thomas Kraft  2) OhWeh  3) Roger Sanderson 
1, 2) Juvenile  3) Female 


Woodpecker, Grey-headed  Picus canus  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed/Drawn by: 1) Magnus von Wright  2) Frank Vassen in Poland  3) Alastair Rae