Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers

Hairy Woodpecker
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Piciformes
Family:Picidae
Genera

Many, see text.


Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They have a world-wide distribution with many species, usually numbered at 218 (including the Ivory-billed).

Some woodpeckers and wrynecks in the order Piciformes have zygodactyl or “yoked" feet, with two toes pointing forward, and two backward. These feet, though adapted for clinging to a vertical surface, can be used for grasping or perching. Several species have only three toes. The long tongue found in some woodpeckers can be darted forward to capture insects.

Woodpeckers gained their English name because of the habit of some species of tapping and pecking noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. This is both a means of communication to signal possession of territory to their rivals, and a method of echo-locating grubs under the bark of the tree.

Woodpeckers inspired Walter Lantz to create the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker.

This group is related to other Piciformes as below:

Order Piciformes

  • Family Picidae, (woodpeckers, piculets, and wrynecks)
  • Family Capitonidae, (barbets)
  • Family Ramphastidae, (toucans)
  • Family Indicatoridae, (honeyguides)
  • Galbulidae, (jacamars)
  • Family Bucconidae, (puffbirds etc)

The last two families are sometimes separated as the order Galbuliformes.

Some distinctive groups of woodpeckers, including the sapsuckers (genus Sphyrapicus) and the small wrynecks (genus Jynx) and piculets (genera Picumnus, Sasia and Nesoctites) have their own group articles.

In February 2005 the Canadian scientist Dr Louis Lefebvre announced a method of measuring avian IQ in terms of their innovation in feeding habits. Woodpeckers were named among the most intelligent birds based on this scale.


Species list

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