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 Colpates
Colpates includes the flicker. These woodpeckers are found more often on the ground than most other woodpeckers. Genus Picus can be considered to be their Old World counterparts.

Flicker, Northern Colpates auratus   Found: North America and Central America
Photographed by:    1) Dick Daniels - North Carolina     2, 3, 4, 5) Elaine R Wilson and Alan D Wilson in Oregon and British Columbia
 1) Yellow-shafted (eastern)   4 - 7) Red-shafted (western)  
2, 3) Male has red under chin  4, 5) Female does not have red nape crescent
 


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, Pileated Dryocopus pileatus Found: North America
Photographed by:   1, 2, 3, 7) Dick Daniels - Ash, North Carolina   4) Dick - Sandwich, New Hampshire
    5, 6) Alan D Wilson - Black Creek, British Columbia
1, 2, 3) Female (black stripe above chin)  4, 5, 6) Male (red stripe above chin)




Genus Melanerpes
Their name means "black creeper". They are new world woodpeckers.

Woodpecker, Acorn Melanerpes formicivorus Found: North America (southwest) and Central America
Photographed by: 1) New Jersy Birds   2) Dick Daniels - California
  3) Alan D Wilson - Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Canyon, Near Green Valley, Arizona  4) Kevin Cole


Woodpecker, Gila  Melanerpes uropygialis  Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Mike and Chris  2) Dick Daniels - the North Carolina Zoo 
    3) Alan D Wilson - Cabin Lake Viewing Blinds, Deschutes National Forest, Near Fort Rock, Oregon


Woodpecker, Golden-fronted Melanerpes aurifrons   Found: North America
Photographed: www.naturespicsonline.com


Woodpecker, Lewis's  Melanerpes lewis  Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Len Blumin
   2, 3) Alan D Wilson - Cabin Lake Viewing Blinds, Deschutes National Forest, Near Fort Rock, Oregon
   4) Charlie Westerinen - the Klamath River in Northern CA


Woodpecker, Red-bellied Melanerpes carolinus   Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Dick Daniels - North Carolina



Woodpecker, Red-headed Melanerpes erythrocephalus   Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina



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

Woodpecker, Arizona  Picoides arizonae  Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 3) www.naturespicsonline.com  2)  New Jersy Birds
|1, 2) Male  3)


Woodpecker, Downy Picoides pubescens   Found: North America

Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - North Carolina    4) Dick - Maryland
     2, 3) Alan D Wilson - Black Creek, Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia
 1, 2) Female   3, 4) Male


Woodpecker, Hairy Picoides villosus   Found: North America and Central America
Photographed by: 1) Alan D Wilson near Fort Rock, Oregon  2, 3) Dick Daniels - Palmer, Alsaka  4) Ted Grussing - Arizona
1) Female  2, 3, 4) Male


Woodpecker, Ladder-backed  Picoides scalaris  Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Alan D Wilson - the Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, Arizona
1) Male  2) Female


Woodpecker, Nuttall's Picoides nuttallii Found: North America
Photographed by:  1, 2) New Jersy Birds  3) Charlie Westerinen - Sonoma, California  4) Len Blumin - Gallinas, San Rafael
1) Female  2, 3, 4) Male


Woodpecker, Red-cockaded   Picoides borealis    Found: North America
Photographed by:  1) Matthew K Hacker   2) US Army


Woodpecker, (American) Three-toed  Picoides dorsalis  Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Pbonefant   2, 3) Dick Daniels - Palmer, Alaska
1, 2, 3) Male


Woodpecker, White-headed  Picoides albolarvatus  Found: western mountains of North America
Photographed by: Alan D Wilson - Cabin Lake Viewing Blinds, Deschutes National Forest, Near Fort Rock, Oregon



Genus Sphyrapicus
The Sapsuckers are found in North America.

Sapsucker, Red-naped Sphyrapicus nuchalis Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Josh Henderson  2) Matt MacGillivray - Alberta, Canada  3) Alan D Wilson - Nature Trail, Logan Lake, British Columbia


Sapsucker, Williamson's  Sphyrapicus thyroideus  Found: North America
Photographed by Charlie Westerinen near Carson Pass, CA at 9000'
1) Female


Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied Sphyrapicus varius   Found: North America and Central America
Photographed by:   1) Dominic Sherony  2, 3) Dick Daniels - Ash,North Carolina