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The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a bird in the Picidae family of woodpeckers.

Northern Flicker

The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a bird in the Picidae family of woodpeckers.

An assortment of scansores sitting in a tree.

Scansores

An assortment of scansores sitting in a tree.

While a woodpecker is drilling, the two parts of the bill are closed together, making a wedge-pointed drill, and at the same time a snug case for the insect-catcher.

Woodpecker

While a woodpecker is drilling, the two parts of the bill are closed together, making a wedge-pointed…

A genus of birds belonging to the climbers, and so called from their habit of pecking into trees in search of insects. The body is quite slender, the beak long and powerful, the tongue pointed, and the tail stiff.

Woodpecker

A genus of birds belonging to the climbers, and so called from their habit of pecking into trees in…

The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds . Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in desert areas.

Woodpecker

The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds . Members of this…

An illustration of a woodpecker's skull.

Woodpecker Skull

An illustration of a woodpecker's skull.

"Saurognathous skull of a nesting Picus minor. x4 diameters, after Parker. Px premaxillary: dpx, its dentary process; ppx, palatal process; sn, septo-nasal; pa, palatine; pmx, peculiar palatal plate of maxillary of a woodpecker; nf, nasal turbinal; mx, maxillary; ipa, interpalatal spur of palatine bone; mxp, rudimentary maxillo-palatine, scarcely reaching palatine; smx, septo-maxillary, in several pieces; v, right vomer, its fellow opposite; pe, lower border of perpendicular plate of ethmoid, between vomers; epa, ethmoidal (inner) plate of palatine; mpa, medio-palatine; pg pterygoid; i, foramen for internal carotid; 8 for vagus nerve; 9, for hypo-glossal nerve." Elliot Coues, 1884

Woodpecker Skull

"Saurognathous skull of a nesting Picus minor. x4 diameters, after Parker. Px premaxillary: dpx, its…

This illustration shows the special development of tongues of woodpeckers; a, skull of flicker, showing root of tongue extending to tip of bill; b, head of hairy woodpecker, showing root of tongue curving around eye.

Woodpecker Tongue

This illustration shows the special development of tongues of woodpeckers; a, skull of flicker, showing…

An illustration of a woodpecker's tongue. The long sticky tongues, which possess bristles, aid these birds in grabbing and extracting insects deep within a hole of a tree.

Woodpecker Tongue

An illustration of a woodpecker's tongue. The long sticky tongues, which possess bristles, aid these…

"Third cervical vertebra of Woodpecker (Picus viridis). (Viewed anteriorly.) Ft, vertebrarterial foramen; Ob, upper arch ; Pa, articular process; Psi, haemal spine ; Pt, Pt, the two bars of the transverse process, shewn on one side ancylosed with the cervical rib (R); Sa articular surface of centrum. (From Wieersheim.) A. H. Evans, 1900

The Diagram of a Third Cervical Vertebra of a Woodpecker

"Third cervical vertebra of Woodpecker (Picus viridis). (Viewed anteriorly.) Ft, vertebrarterial foramen;…

Great Black Woodpecker (Drycopus martius). This bird of one of the largest of its tribe, black with a scarlet crest, and resembles somewhat the ivory-billed and pileated woodpeckers of the United States. It inhabits northerly portions of Europe.

Great Black Woodpecker

Great Black Woodpecker (Drycopus martius). This bird of one of the largest of its tribe, black with…

The woodpeckers are typical climbers, with two toes turned forward and two backward, (zygodactyl).

Downy Woodpecker

The woodpeckers are typical climbers, with two toes turned forward and two backward, (zygodactyl).

The Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens, is the smallest woodpecker in North America. Adults are mainly black on the upper parts and wings, with a white back, throat and belly and white spotting on the wings. There is a white bar above and below the eye. They have a black tail with white outer feathers barred with black. Adult males have a red patch on the back of the head.

Downy Woodpecker

The Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens, is the smallest woodpecker in North America. Adults are mainly…

The golden-winged woodpecker is known for burrowing its own holes into live trees to use as a nest.

Golden-Winged Woodpecker

The golden-winged woodpecker is known for burrowing its own holes into live trees to use as a nest.

Chiefly making its habitat in Northern Europe, the great black woodpecker uses its long, sharp bill to bore into trees in search of insects.

Great black Woodpecker

Chiefly making its habitat in Northern Europe, the great black woodpecker uses its long, sharp bill…

The great spotted woodpecker measures an average of nine and a half inches long, and is found throughout Europe.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

The great spotted woodpecker measures an average of nine and a half inches long, and is found throughout…

The green woodpecker is found throughout Europe, and uses its beak to make holes in tree trunks to roost in.

Green Woodpecker

The green woodpecker is found throughout Europe, and uses its beak to make holes in tree trunks to roost…

"Woodpecker is the popular name of the old Linnæan genus Picus, now greatly divided. Woodpeckers have a slender body, powerful beak, and protrusile tongue, which is sharp, barbed, and pointed, and covered with a glutinous secretion derived from glands in the throat, this coating being renewed every time the tongue is drawn within the bill. The tail is stiff and serves as a support when the birds are clinging to the branches or stems of trees. Woodpeckers are very widely distributed, but abound chiefly in warm climates. They are solitary in habit, and live in the depths of forests. Fruits, seeds, and insects constitute their food, and in pursuit of the latter they exhibit wonderful dexterity, climbing with astonishing quickness on the trunks and branches of trees, and when, by tapping with their bills, a rotten place has been discovered, they dig vigorously in search of the grubs or larvæ beneath the bark."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Green Woodpecker

"Woodpecker is the popular name of the old Linnæan genus Picus, now greatly divided. Woodpeckers…

The foot of a Green Woodpecker, a bird belonging to the Scansores order. Scansores is an order of birds, popularly known as climbing birds. The most important of the families are the cuckoos, the woodpeckers and wry-necks, the parrots, the toucans, the trogons, the barbets, and the plantain-eaters.

Foot of a Green Woodpecker

The foot of a Green Woodpecker, a bird belonging to the Scansores order. Scansores is an order of birds,…

The head of a Green Woodpecker, a bird belonging to the Scansores order. Scansores is an order of birds, popularly known as climbing birds. The most important of the families are the cuckoos, the woodpeckers and wry-necks, the parrots, the toucans, the trogons, the barbets, and the plantain-eaters.

Head of a Green Woodpecker

The head of a Green Woodpecker, a bird belonging to the Scansores order. Scansores is an order of birds,…

The hairy woodpecker grows nine inches long. It likes to eat wood-boring beetles and ants.

Hairy Woodpecker

The hairy woodpecker grows nine inches long. It likes to eat wood-boring beetles and ants.

It is not only to seek for food that Woodpeckers make holes in trees, but also to establish their nests, (Figuier, 1869).

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

It is not only to seek for food that Woodpeckers make holes in trees, but also to establish their nests,…

Common in England and distributed across Europe, the lesser spotted woodpecker measures about five and three-quarter inches in length.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Common in England and distributed across Europe, the lesser spotted woodpecker measures about five and…

"Dendrocopus minor, or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, are the British representatives, The colours in this genus are black and white in varied proportions, with crimsons on the head and often on the lower parts; a small amount of buff and brown being not uncommonly added." A. H. Evans, 1900

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

"Dendrocopus minor, or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, are the British representatives, The colours in this…

Found in Southern Europe, the middle spotted woodpecker has a black coat, with a crimson underside and a red spot on its head.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Found in Southern Europe, the middle spotted woodpecker has a black coat, with a crimson underside and…

The Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, is a small or medium-sized woodpecker from temperate North America. Their breeding habitat is open country across southern Canada and the eastern-central United States.

Red-Headed Woodpecker

The Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, is a small or medium-sized woodpecker from temperate…

From the woodpecker family, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is known for drilling holes in birch trees.

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

From the woodpecker family, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is known for drilling…

The yellow bellied woodpecker or sapsucker drills holes into valuable trees such as sugar maple, birch, and pine.

Yellow Bellied Woodpecker

The yellow bellied woodpecker or sapsucker drills holes into valuable trees such as sugar maple, birch,…

The most common type of woodpeckers found in the United States, the red-headed woodpecker feeds on various fruits, as well as insects that inhabit the trees it frequents.

Redheaded Woodpeckers

The most common type of woodpeckers found in the United States, the red-headed woodpecker feeds on various…

Like Woodpeckers, they can hang upon trees, and sustain themselves in a vertical position for a long time; but they are incapable of climbing (Figuier, 1869).

Wryneck

Like Woodpeckers, they can hang upon trees, and sustain themselves in a vertical position for a long…

Like Woodpeckers, they can hang upon trees, and sustain themselves in a vertical position for a long time; but they are incapable of climbing (Figuier, 1869).

Wryneck

Like Woodpeckers, they can hang upon trees, and sustain themselves in a vertical position for a long…

"Iynx torquilla, the Cuckoo's-mate or Snake-bird, is fairly common in England, and extends thence to Japan, Kordofan, and Senegal. The Wryneck may be distinguished from the typical Woodpeckers by their soft tails without spiny shafts, and naked nostrils with a partial covering. The plumage shews a particular mixture of black , brown, grey, and white, somewhat similar to the Nightjar." A. H. Evans, 1900

A Wryneck Sitting on a Tree

"Iynx torquilla, the Cuckoo's-mate or Snake-bird, is fairly common in England, and extends thence to…

The Yellowhammer from Thomas Bewick's wood engraving in 'The Land Birds.'

Yellowhammer

The Yellowhammer from Thomas Bewick's wood engraving in 'The Land Birds.'