Woodpecker
bird
Woodpeckers live in nearly every region of the world except for New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, Australia, and both the North and South Pole. The family Picidae includes 236 species of woodpeckers. About 20 of these species are in danger of extinction.
An Amazing Bird: Woodpecker Facts!
- A woodpecker’s tongue is typically twice the length of its beak, able to reach into crevices for insects. The bird’s tongue or its saliva is sticky, too, so it can cling to its prey.
- The woodpecker’s tongue wraps around the back of its head between the tissue and the bone, acting as a shock absorber when the bird is drumming.
- Woodpeckers have feathers on their noses that keep wood debris out of the bird’s nostrils while it is boring holes.
- Woodpeckers use their jackhammer-like beaks to dig out bugs, but they also drum their bills to create rhythms for attracting mates, staking a claim, and sometimes, just for fun.
Woodpeckers live almost everywhere in the world, wherever there are woodsy habitats. A small number of species prefer rocky areas instead, and one species, the Gila woodpecker, subsists on a diet of cacti in its desert habitat. These birds do not live in the extreme polar regions, Australasia or Madagascar.
Woodpecker Scientific Name
Although experts disagree on the total number of woodpecker species, the International Ornithological Congress recognizes 236, all of which belong to the Picidae family. They are divided into 36 genera within this family.
Woodpecker: The Bird’s Size, Appearance & Behavior
Ranging in size from the tiny piculet, which measures less than three inches from tip to tail, to the pileated and great slaty woodpeckers, which measure up to 20 inches in length, the size of these distinctive birds varies significantly.
With a few exceptions, all woodpeckers share distinctive features, though, such as:
- A chisel-tipped beak
- Zygodactyl feet with opposing toes
- A contrasting crest or feathery tuft on the crown
- Strong short legs
- Stiff tail for balance
- Exceptionally long, sticky tongues
- Shock-absorbing skull bone
- Nostril feathers to prevent inhaling debris
- Twitters
- Trills
- Whistles
- Chattering
- Shrieks
- Wails
- Rattles
Each species sounds somewhat different, but the sounds they make are loud enough to travel in densely forested habitat. Even baby nestlings communicate with their parents with sounds.
Most species do not migrate but remain in their chosen habitat year-round. Two types that do migrate are the yellow-shafted flicker of the eastern U.S., whose scientific name is Colaptes auratus, and the North American yellow-bellied sapsucker, whose scientific name is Sphyrapicus varius.
Woodpecker Diet
Insects and their larvae are the mainstay of the woodpecker’s diet, but they eat other foods too. Birds’ eggs, baby birds, small rodents, or reptiles are all part of a woodpecker’s diet if they are available. As omnivores, woodpeckers eat fruit, nuts, and even tree sap.
Like most birds, the woodpecker plays an important role in the health of the natural environment. By boring holes in trees and extracting insects with its long, sticky tongue, this bird helps prevent potentially harmful insect damage. For example, woodpeckers eat the larvae of the emerald ash borer beetle, which was responsible for the destruction of millions of ash trees in North America.
In turn, three woodpecker species have benefitted as well. The red-bellied, downy and hairy woodpecker species have enjoyed a population surge since adding the emerald ash borer beetle to their diets.
Woodpecker: The Bird’s Predators and Threats
Loss of habitat due to human encroachment is the most significant threat to woodpeckers worldwide. For example, insecticides that big agricultural companies use to eliminate crop-eating pests wipe out a major food source for the local woodpecker population.
In the natural environment, woodpeckers are under threat from predators even before they hatch. Snakes and birds like grackles steal in and eat the eggs in an unprotected nest. Feline predators of adult birds include feral cats, bobcats and mountain lions. Some of the canine threats include foxes and coyotes. Larger birds of prey such as hawks may also consider woodpeckers to be part of a balanced diet.
Woodpecker Reproduction, Babies and Lifespan
Woodpeckers will nest in existing holes in tree trunks, but when necessary, they will excavate their own. Some woodpeckers will even nest in a telephone pole or a human dwelling. Most species use a nesting site for a single breeding season and then move on.
Woodpeckers are monogamous with a few exceptions. For example, acorn woodpeckers may establish a breeding group of up to 12 birds and then raise the nestlings together.
Females lay two to five eggs. Because they are protected within the tree trunk, woodpecker eggs have a better chance of hatching into live chicks than those in more exposed nests. Both parents take turns keeping the eggs warm for the 12-14 days of incubation.
Once a baby first hatches, it develops quickly and is ready to leave the nest in about 30 days. On average, woodpeckers live between four and 12 years. Some can live up to 30 years if environmental conditions are just right.
Woodpecker: The Bird’s Population
Of the 250 recognized woodpecker species, approximately 20 have dwindled to dangerously low numbers, mainly due to habitat loss. The Bermuda flicker is now extinct. The ivory-billed, imperial, and Okinawa woodpeckers are all on the critically endangered list. In fact, many ornithologists believe that the imperial and ivory-billed species are probably extinct.
Woodpecker FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Are Woodpeckers herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores?
Woodpeckers are Omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals.
What Kingdom do Woodpeckers belong to?
Woodpeckers belong to the Kingdom Animalia.
What class do Woodpeckers belong to?
Woodpeckers belong to the class Aves.
What phylum to Woodpeckers belong to?
Woodpeckers belong to the phylum Chordata.
What family do Woodpeckers belong to?
Woodpeckers belong to the family Picidae.
What order do Woodpeckers belong to?
Woodpeckers belong to the order Piciformes.
Are woodpeckers omnivores?
Yes, woodpeckers eat both meat and vegetable matter. Their diet includes insects, grubs, birds’ eggs, and small rodents as well as fruit, nuts, and tree sap.
What eats woodpeckers?
Bobcats, coyotes, foxes, and hawks are some of the predators that eat woodpeckers. Snakes and other birds also rob their nests of eggs.
What does a woodpecker look like?
Many species have red heads or a red crest on their head. Many are black and white. They have long, pointed beaks strong enough to peck through wood. Most woodpeckers have four opposable toes on each foot that end in claws. One exception is the American three-toed woodpecker.
Where do woodpeckers live?
Woodpecker species live throughout the world except for the North and South poles, Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and New Guinea. Most of them inhabit forested environments, although some live on rocky hillsides or in desert terrain.
What does a woodpecker sound like?
The drumming of the woodpecker’s bill on a tree is the most distinctive sound this bird makes. It also makes a loud, brief call, trills, cackles, whistles, churrs, and tweets. Most of their vocalizations relate to protecting their territory or attracting and communicating with a mate.
Do woodpeckers migrate?
Only a small percentage of woodpecker species migrate. Most inhabit their forests year-round. The yellow-shafted flicker and the yellow-bellied sapsucker, both native to North America, are two of the migrating species.
How many eggs does a woodpecker lay?
Most woodpeckers lay two to five eggs each mating season.
How fast does woodpeckers fly?
Speed is not a typical woodpecker trait. Their flight pattern consists of a few wing flaps and then a soaring dive, so they do not move very quickly from point A to point B. These birds spend most of their lives in the trees, searching for food. An enterprising bird can peck up to 20 times per second, either when feeding on a termite nest or to warn off intruders.
What is a woodpecker’s wingspan?
The woodpecker’s wingspan depends upon the species of the bird. For example, a pileated woodpecker, one of the largest species, has a wingspan of up to 30 inches. In contrast one of the tiniest woodpeckers, the piculet, is less than 3 inches long with a wingspan to match its size.
When do woodpeckers leave the nest?
Woodpeckers are ready to leave the nest when they are around one month old.
What type of covering do Woodpeckers have?
Woodpeckers are covered in Feathers.
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