Woodpeckers Picidae
There are 29 genera, of which 11 are so far described below.
Of the 218 species within the family, three are critically endangered: the Okinawa Woodpecker
Dendrocopus noguchii, the Kaempfer's Woodpecker
Celeus obrieni, the Imperial Woodpecker
Campephilus imperialis, and the almost mythical and now probably extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker Campephilus principalis.
Another seven species are listed as vulnerable, and fifteen others are
near-threatened. Woodpeckers are distinctive birds that are found in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Most have four toes,
but some species have only three.
Picumnus
There are 26 species in this genus.
Olivaceous Piculet Picumnus olivaceus at Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, Alajuela, Costa Rica, April 2009.
Melanerpes
There are 23 species in this genus. The Guadeloupe Woodpecker Melanerpes herminieri and Red-headed Woodecker Melanerpes
erythrocephalus are both considered near-threatened.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons at Laguna Atascosa N.W.R, near Brownsville, Texas, March 2009.
Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus feeding on pyracantha berries at Cave Creek Ranch, Portal,
Arizona, October 2006.
Male Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons (left) at the Paton's residence, Patagonia, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, April 2001 and a
female at McCormick Park, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, February 2010.
Sphyrapicus
There are 4 species in this genus.
Female Williamson's Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus (left) at Luna Lake, near Alpine, Apache County, Arizona, August 2010 and an immature
male at the Winn campground, near Mt. Baldy, Apache County, Arizona, July 2006.
Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis at the Roger Road Wastewater facility, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, October 2002.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius at Salineno, Starr County, Texas, February 2005.
Dendrocopus
There are 25 species in this genus.
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major in the grounds of Newstead Abbey, near Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, England, July 2009.
Picoides
There are 13 species in this genus. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis is considered vulnerable.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis in the Talladega National Forest, northeast off Anniston, Alabama, August 2009.
American Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis near Flagstaff, Arizona, November 2006.
Male Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris at the Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, April 2010.
Venilornis
There are 13 species within this genus.
Red-rumped Woodpecker Venilornis kirkii near Puerto Jimenez, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, April 2009.
Colaptes
There are 9 species within this genus. The Fernandina's Flicker Colaptes fernandinae is considered vulnerable.
The Gilded Flicker Colaptes chrysoides was until recently, lumped with the Northern Flicker.
The Gilded Flicker has a very limited distribution in mainly Sonoran desert from extreme southeastern California and southern Arizona,
south into northwestern Mexico. This male Gilded Flicker was photographed at the Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona, May 2006.
Dryocopus
There are 7 species in this genus.
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus at Chassahowitzka campground, Citrus County, Florida, November 2009.
Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus at Heliconia Lodge, near Bijagua, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, April 2009.
Campephilus
There are 11 species in this genus. The Imperial Woodpecker Campephilus imperialis and the now probably extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Campephilus principalis are both critically endangered. The Guayaquil Woodpecker Campephilus gayaquilensis
is near-threatened.
Like the other members of this genus, the Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis is a large woodpecker. They are fairly common in
lowland forests from northern Mexico, south to western Panama. This individual was photographed at the Santa Rosa National Park, Guanacaste,
Costa Rica, June 2007.
Dinopium
There are 3 species in this genus.
Common Flameback Dinopium javanense female at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand, January 2009.
Hemicircus
There are 2 species in this genus.
Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente at Tung Salaeng Luang National Park, Thailand, January 2009.
NON-PASSERINES
Last updated 28 August 2010.