Birds Guide

Picidae
The Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus, is a member of the family Picadae.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae Vigors, 1825
Genera
Jynx Picumnus Sasia Nesoctites Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Campethera Geocolaptes Dinopium Meiglyptes Hemicircus Micropternus Picus Mulleripicus Dryocopus Celeus Piculus Colaptes Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Blythipicus Gecinulus Sapheopipo

The avian family Picidae includes the woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, 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.

Family Picidae is just one of the eight families in the order Piciformes. Members of the order Piciformes, such as the jacamars, puffbirds, barbets, toucans and honeyguides, have traditionally been thought to be very closely related to the woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks. Recent molecular studies has strengthened this view.

There are about over 200 species and about 30 genera in this family (for the full species list, see Woodpecker). Many species are threatened or endangered due to loss of habitat or habitat fragmentation. Two species of woodpeckers, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Imperial Woodpecker, have been considered extinct for about 30 years (there has been some controversy recently whether these species still exist).

Species of the family Picidae range in size from 8 cm to 58 cm in length. Most species possess predominantly white, black and brown feathers, although many piculets show a certain amount of gray and olive green. In woodpeckers, many species exhibit patches of red and yellow on their heads and bellies. Although the genders of a species tend to look alike, male woodpeckers will have brighter reds and yellows than the females.

Members of the family Picidae have strong bills for drilling and drumming on trees and long sticky tongues for extracting food. Woodpecker bills are typically longer, sharper and stronger than the bills of piculets and wrynecks, however their morphology is very similar. Due to their smaller bill size, many piculets and wrynecks will forage in decaying wood more often than woodpeckers. The long sticky tongues, which possess bristles, aid these birds in grabbing and extracting insects deep within a hole of a tree.

Woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks all possess zygodactyl feet. Zygodacytl feet consist of four toes, two facing frontward and two facing back. This type of foot arrangement is good for grasping the limbs and trunks of trees. Members of this family can walk vertically up a tree trunk, which is beneficial for activities such as foraging for food or nest excavation.

The diet of these birds consists mainly of insects, such as ants and beetles, nuts, seeds, berries, some fruit and sap. Species may feed generally on all of these, or may specialize on one or two.

All members of the family Picidae nest in cavities. Woodpeckers and piculets will excavate their own nests, but wrynecks will not. The excavated nest is usually only lined from the wood chips produced as the hole was made. Many species of woodpeckers excavate one hole per breeding season, sometimes after multiple attempts. It takes around a month to finish the job. Abandoned holes are used by many other birds and animals, such as flying squirrels.

Members of Picidae are typically monogamous. A pair will work together to help build the nest, incubate the eggs and raise their altricial young. However, in most species the male does most of the nest excavation and takes the night shift while incubating the eggs. A nest will usually consist of 2-5 round white eggs. Since these birds are cavity nesters their eggs do not need to be camouflaged and the white color helps the parents to see them in dim light. The eggs are incubated for about 11-14 days before the chicks are born. It takes about 18-30 days before the young are ready to leave the nest.

Picidae species can either be sedentary or migratory. Many species are known to stay in the same area year around while others, such as the Eurasian Wryneck and the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, travel great distances from their breeding grounds to their wintering ground.

Contents 1 Systematics and evolution 1.1 Prehistoric taxa 1.2 Subfamily Jynginae: Wrynecks 1.3 Subfamily Picumninae: Piculets 1.4 Subfamily Nesoctitinae: Antillean Piculet 1.5 Subfamily Picinae: Woodpeckers 2 References

Systematics and evolution

The phylogeny has been updated according to new knowledge about convergence patterns and evolutionary history (Benz et al., 2006; Moore et al., 2006). Most notably, the relationship of the picine genera has been largely clarified, and it was determined that the Antillean Piculet is a surviving offshoot of proto-woodpeckers.

The evolutionary history of this group is not well documented, but the known fossils allow some preliminary conclusions: the earliest known modern picids were piculet-like forms of the Late Oligocene (c. 25 MYA). By that time, however, the group was already present in the Americas and Europe, and it is hypothesized that they actually evolved much earlier, maybe as early as the Early Eocene (50 MYA). The modern subfamilies appear to be rather young by comparison; until the mid-Miocene (10-15 MYA), all picids seem to have been small or mid-sized birds similar to a mixture between a piculet and a wryneck. An enigmatic form based on a coracoid found in Pliocene deposits of New Providence, Bahamas, has been described as Bathoceleus hyphalus and probably also is a woodpecker (Cracraft & Morony, 1969).

Prehistoric forms of the extant genera are treated in the corresponding genus articles.

Prehistoric taxa

Basal

• Genus Palaeopicus (Late Oligocene of France)

Not assigned to subfamily

• Picidae gen. et sp. indet. (Middle Miocene of New Mexico, USA)
• Picidae gen. et sp. indet. (Late Miocene of Gargano Peninsula, Italy)

Subfamily Jynginae: Wrynecks

• Genus Jynx
  • Eurasian Wryneck, Jynx torquilla
    Rufous-necked Wryneck, Jynx ruficollis

Subfamily Picumninae: Piculets

Genus Picumnus

• Speckled Piculet, Picumnus innominatus (sometimes Vivia)
  Bar-breasted Piculet, Picumnus aurifrons
  Orinoco Piculet, Picumnus pumilus
  Lafresnaye's Piculet, Picumnus lafresnayi
  Golden-spangled Piculet, Picumnus exilis
  Black-spotted Piculet, Picumnus nigropunctatus
  Ecuadorian Piculet, Picumnus sclateri
  Scaled Piculet, Picumnus squamulatus
  White-bellied Piculet, Picumnus spilogaster
  Guianan Piculet, Picumnus minutissimus
  Spotted Piculet, Picumnus pygmaeus
  Speckle-chested Piculet, Picumnus steindachneri
  Varzea Piculet, Picumnus varzeae
  White-barred Piculet, Picumnus cirratus
  Ocellated Piculet, Picumnus dorbygnianus
  Ochre-collared Piculet, Picumnus temminckii
  White-wedged Piculet, Picumnus albosquamatus
  Rusty-necked Piculet, Picumnus fuscus
  Rufous-breasted Piculet, Picumnus rufiventris
  Tawny Piculet, Picumnus fulvescens
  Ochraceous Piculet, Picumnus limae
  Mottled Piculet, Picumnus nebulosus
  Plain-breasted Piculet, Picumnus castelnau
  Fine-barred Piculet, Picumnus subtilis
  Olivaceous Piculet, Picumnus olivaceus
  Grayish Piculet, Picumnus granadensis
  Chestnut Piculet, Picumnus cinnamomeus

Genus Verreauxia (sometimes included in Sasia)

• African Piculet, Verreauxia africana

Genus Sasia

• Rufous Piculet, Sasia abnormis
  White-browed Piculet, Sasia ochracea

Subfamily Nesoctitinae: Antillean Piculet

• Genus Nesoctites
  • Antillean Piculet, Nesoctites micromegas

Subfamily Picinae: Woodpeckers

Unassigned fossil forms

• Genus Palaeonerpes (Ogalalla Early Pliocene of Hitchcock County, USA) - possibly dendropicine
• Genus Pliopicus (Early Pliocene of Kansas, USA) - possibly dendropicine
• cf. Colaptes DMNH 1262 (Early Pliocene of Ainsworth, USA) - malarpicine?

Tribe Dendropicini

• Genus Melanerpes
  • White Woodpecker, Melanerpes candidus
    Lewis' Woodpecker, Melanerpes lewis
    Guadeloupe Woodpecker, Melanerpes herminieri
    Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Melanerpes portoricensis
    Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus
    Acorn Woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus
    Golden-naped Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysauchen
    Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes pucherani
    Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Melanerpes cruentatus
    Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Melanerpes flavifrons
    White-fronted Woodpecker, Melanerpes cactorum
    Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Melanerpes striatus
    Jamaican Woodpecker, Melanerpes radiolatus
    Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys
    Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Melanerpes hypopolius
    Yucatan Woodpecker, Melanerpes pygmaeus
    Red-crowned Woodpecker, Melanerpes rubricapillus
    Hoffmann's Woodpecker, Melanerpes hoffmannii
    Gila Woodpecker, Melanerpes uropygialis
    Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Melanerpes aurifrons
    Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
    West Indian Woodpecker, Melanerpes superciliaris

• Genus Sphyrapicus
  • Williamson's Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus thyroideus
    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius
    Red-naped Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus nuchalis
    Red-breasted Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus ruber

• Genus Xiphidiopicus
  • Cuban Woodpecker, Xiphidiopicus percussus (Placement in Dendropicini tentative)

• Genus Dendropicos
  • Little Grey Woodpecker, Dendropicos elachus
    Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Dendropicos poecilolaemus
    Abyssinian Woodpecker, Dendropicos abyssinicus
    Cardinal Woodpecker, Dendropicos fuscescens
    Gabon Woodpecker, Dendropicos gabonensis
    Melancholy Woodpecker, Dendropicos lugubris
    Stierling's Woodpecker, Dendropicos stierlingi
    Bearded Woodpecker, Dendropicos namaquus
    Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Dendropicos pyrrhogaster
    Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Dendropicos xantholophus
    Elliot's Woodpecker, Dendropicos elliotii
    Grey Woodpecker, Dendropicos goertae
    African Grey-headed Woodpecker, Dendropicos spodocephalus
    Olive Woodpecker, Dendropicos griseocephalus
    Brown-backed Woodpecker, Dendropicos obsoletus

• Genus Dendrocopos
  • Sulawesi Woodpecker, Dendrocopos temminckii
    Philippine Woodpecker, Dendrocopos maculatus
    Brown-capped Woodpecker, Dendrocopos nanus
    Sunda Woodpecker, Dendrocopos moluccensis
    Grey-capped Woodpecker, Dendrocopos canicapillus
    Pygmy Woodpecker, Dendrocopos kizuki
    Brown-fronted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos auriceps
    Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos macei
    Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos atratus
    Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Dendrocopos mahrattensis
    Arabian Woodpecker, Dendrocopos dorae
    Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Dendrocopos hyperythrus
    Darjeeling Woodpecker, Dendrocopos darjellensis
    Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos cathpharius
    Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos medius
    White-backed Woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos
    Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major
    Syrian Woodpecker, Dendrocopos syriacus
    White-winged Woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucopterus
    Sind Woodpecker, Dendrocopos assimilis
    Himalayan Woodpecker, Dendrocopos himalayensis

• Genus Picoides - this genus is in need of revision (Moore et al., 2006). See the genus article for more.
  • Small group
    Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Picoides minor - previously Dendrocopos
    Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
    Nuttall's Woodpecker, Picoides nuttallii
    Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Picoides scalaris
    Large group
    Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Picoides borealis
    Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Picoides fumigatus
    Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus
    White-headed Woodpecker, Picoides albolarvatus
    Strickland's Woodpecker, Picoides stricklandi
    Arizona Woodpecker, Picoides arizonae
    Three-toed
    Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus
    American Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis
    Black-backed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus

• Genus Veniliornis
  • Red-rumped Woodpecker, Veniliornis kirkii
    Golden-collared Woodpecker, Veniliornis cassini
    Choco Woodpecker, Veniliornis chocoensis
    Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Veniliornis maculifrons
    Red-stained Woodpecker, Veniliornis affinis
    Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Veniliornis nigriceps
    Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Veniliornis callonotus
    Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Veniliornis dignus
    Little Woodpecker, Veniliornis passerinus
    Dot-fronted Woodpecker, Veniliornis frontalis
    Blood-colored Woodpecker, Veniliornis sanguineus
    White-spotted Woodpecker, Veniliornis spilogaster
    Striped Woodpecker, Veniliornis lignarius
    Checkered Woodpecker, Veniliornis mixtus

Tribe Malarpicini

• Genus Campethera
  • Fine-spotted Woodpecker, Campethera punctuligera
    Nubian Woodpecker, Campethera nubica
    Bennett's Woodpecker, Campethera bennettii
    Reichenow's Woodpecker, Campethera scriptoricauda
    Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Campethera abingoni
    Mombasa Woodpecker, Campethera mombassica
    Knysna Woodpecker, Campethera notata
    Little Green Woodpecker, Campethera maculosa
    Green-backed Woodpecker, Campethera cailliautii
    Tullberg's Woodpecker, Campethera tullbergi
    Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Campethera nivosa
    Brown-eared Woodpecker, Campethera caroli

• Genus Geocolaptes
  • Ground Woodpecker, Geocolaptes olivaceus

• Genus Dinopium
  • Olive-backed Woodpecker, Dinopium rafflesii
    Himalayan Flameback, Dinopium shorii
    Common Flameback, Dinopium javanense
    Black-rumped Flameback, Dinopium benghalense

• Genus Meiglyptes
  • Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Meiglyptes tristis
    Black-and-buff Woodpecker, Meiglyptes jugularis
    Buff-necked Woodpecker, Meiglyptes tukki

• Genus Hemicircus (Placement in Malarpicini tentative)
  • Grey-and-buff Woodpecker, Hemicircus concretus
    Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Hemicircus canente

• Genus Micropternus (formerly in Celeus)
  • Rufous Woodpecker, Micropternus brachyurus

• Genus Picus
  • Banded Woodpecker, Picus mineaceus
    Lesser Yellownape, Picus chlorolophus
    Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Picus puniceus
    Greater Yellownape, Picus flavinucha
    Checker-throated Woodpecker, Picus mentalis
    Streak-breasted Woodpecker, Picus viridanus
    Laced Woodpecker, Picus vittatus
    Streak-throated Woodpecker, Picus xanthopygaeus
    Scaly-bellied Woodpecker, Picus squamatus
    Japanese Woodpecker, Picus awokera
    Green Woodpecker, Picus viridis
    Levaillant's Woodpecker, Picus vaillantii
    Red-collared Woodpecker, Picus rabieri
    Black-headed Woodpecker, Picus erythropygius
    Grey-headed Woodpecker, Picus canus
  • 

    Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) searching for insects, depicted in Scientific American Supplement, No. 492, June 6, 1885

• Genus Mulleripicus
  • Ashy Woodpecker, Mulleripicus fulvus
    Sooty Woodpecker, Mulleripicus funebris
    Great Slaty Woodpecker, Mulleripicus pulverulentus

• Genus Dryocopus
  • Helmeted Woodpecker, Dryocopus galeatus
    Lineated Woodpecker, Dryocopus lineatus
    Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus
    Black-bodied Woodpecker, Dryocopus schulzi
    White-bellied Woodpecker, Dryocopus javensis
    Andaman Woodpecker, Dryocopus hodgei
    Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius

• Genus Celeus
  • Cinnamon Woodpecker, Celeus loricatus
    Scaly-breasted Woodpecker, Celeus grammicus
    Waved Woodpecker, Celeus undatus
    Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Celeus castaneus
    Chestnut Woodpecker, Celeus elegans
    Pale-crested Woodpecker, Celeus lugubris
    Blond-crested Woodpecker, Celeus flavescens
    Cream-colored Woodpecker, Celeus flavus
    Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Celeus spectabilis
    Caatinga Woodpecker, Celeus obrieni (possibly extinct)
    Ringed Woodpecker, Celeus torquatus

• Genus Piculus
  • Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Piculus simplex
    Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Piculus callopterus
    Lita Woodpecker, Piculus litae
    White-throated Woodpecker, Piculus leucolaemus
    Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Piculus flavigula
    Golden-green Woodpecker, Piculus chrysochloros
    Yellow-browed Woodpecker, Piculus aurulentus

• Genus Colaptes
  • Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
    Gilded Flicker, Colaptes chrysoides
    Fernandina's Flicker, Colaptes fernandinae
    Chilean Flicker, Colaptes pitius
    Andean Flicker, Colaptes rupicola
    Campo Flicker, Colaptes campestris
    Black-necked Woodpecker, Colaptes atricollis
    Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Colaptes punctigula
    Green-barred Woodpecker, Colaptes melanochloros
          Golden-breasted Woodpecker, Colaptes (melanochloros) melanolaimus
    Golden-olive Woodpecker, Colaptes rubiginosus
    Gray-crowned Woodpecker, Colaptes auricularis
    Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Colaptes rivolii

Tribe Megapicini

• Genus Campephilus
  • Powerful Woodpecker, Campephilus pollens
    Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Campephilus haematogaster
    Red-necked Woodpecker, Campephilus rubricollis
    Robust Woodpecker, Campephilus robustus
    Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Campephilus melanoleucos
    Guayaquil Woodpecker, Campephilus gayaquilensis
    Pale-billed Woodpecker, Campephilus guatemalensis
    Cream-backed Woodpecker, Campephilus leucopogon
    Magellanic Woodpecker, Campephilus magellanicus
    Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Campephilus principalis (possibly extinct)
    Imperial Woodpecker, Campephilus imperialis (possibly extinct)

• Genus Chrysocolaptes
  • White-naped Woodpecker, Chrysocolaptes festivus
    Greater Flameback, Chrysocolaptes lucidus

• Genus Reinwardtipicus
  • Orange-backed Woodpecker, Reinwardtipicus validus

• Genus Blythipicus
  • Maroon Woodpecker, Blythipicus rubiginosus
    Bay Woodpecker, Blythipicus pyrrhotis

• Genus Gecinulus (Placement in Megapicini tentative)
  • Pale-headed Woodpecker, Gecinulus grantia
    Bamboo Woodpecker, Gecinulus viridis

• Genus Sapheopipo (Placement in Megapicini tentative)
  • Okinawa Woodpecker, Sapheopipo noguchii

References

• Benz, Brett W.; Robbins, Mark B. & Peterson, A. Townsend (2006): Evolutionary history of woodpeckers and allies (Aves: Picidae): Placing key taxa on the phylogenetic tree. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40: 389–399. DOI:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.02.021

• Cracraft, Joel & Morony, John J. Jr. (1969): A new Pliocene woodpecker, with comments on the fossil Picidae. American Museum Novitates 2400: 1-8. PDF fulltext

• Johansson, U. S. & Ericson, G. P. (2003): Molecular support for a sister group relationship between Pici and Galbulae (Piciformes sensu Wetmore 1960). Journal of Avian Biology 34: 185-197. PDF fulltext

• Koenig, W. D. & Haydock, J. (1999): Oaks, acorns, and the geographical ecology of acorn woodpeckers. J. Biogeogr. 26(1): 159-165. DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00256.x (HTML abstract)

• Lemaitre, J. & Villard, M. A. (2005): Foraging patterns of pileated woodpeckers in a managed Acadian forest: a resource selection function. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35(10): 2387-2393. HTML abstract

• Michalek, K. G. & Winkler, H. (2001): Parental care and parentage in monogamous great spotted woodpeckers (Picoides major) and middles spotted woodpeckers (Picoides medius). Behaviour 138(10): 1259-1285. DOI:10.1163/15685390152822210 (HTML abstract)

• Moore, William S.; Weibel, Amy C. & Agius, Andrea (2006): Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of the woodpecker genus Veniliornis (Picidae, Picinae) and related genera implies convergent evolution of plumage patterns. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 87: 611–624. PDF fulltext

• Stark, R. D.; Dodenhoff, D. J. & Johnson, E. V. (1998): A quantitative analysis of woodpecker drumming. Condor 100(2): 350-356. PDF fulltext

• Villard, P.; Cuisin, J. & Karasov, W. H. (2004). How do woodpeckers extract grubs with their tongues? A study of the Guadeloupe woodpecker (Melanerpes herminieri) in the French Indies. Auk 121: 509-514. DOI:10.1642/0004-8038(2004)121[0509:HDWEGW]2.0.CO;2 HTML abstract

• Webb, Daniel Matthew & Moore, William S. (2005): A phylogenetic analysis of woodpeckers and their allies using 12S, Cyt b, and COI nucleotide sequences (class Aves; order Piciformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 36: 233-248. PDF fulltext

• Wiebe, K.L. & Swift, T. L. (2001): Clutch size relative to tree cavity size in northern flickers. Journal of Avian Biology 32(2): 167. DOI:10.1034/j.1600-048X.2001.320210.x (HTML abstract)

• Wiktander, U.; Olsson, O. & Nilsson, S.F. (2000) Parental care and social mating system in the lesser spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos minor. Journal of Avian Biology 31(4): 447. DOI:10.1034/j.1600-048X.2000.310003.x (HTML abstract)

• Yom-Tov, Y. & Ar, A. (1993): Incubation and fledging durations of woodpeckers. Condor 95(2): 282-287. PDF fulltext