Forest Woodpecker

The woods are alive with little winged workers pounding away, building new housing for their expanding community. The trees don't seem to mind, standing still as the little peckers poke holes in their sides. Of all the natural sounds, this one seems the most out of place, more fit for a construction site than a pristine forest. Perhaps nature truly is the builder of all things. Woodpeckers are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. There are about 200 species and about 30 genera. 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. The smallest woodpecker is the Bar-breasted Piculet, at 7 g and 8 cm (3¼ inches). The largest woodpecker was the Imperial Woodpecker, at an average of 58 cm (23 inches) and probably over 600 g (1.3 lb). Most species possess predominantly white, black, brown, green, and red plumage, although many piculets show a certain amount of grey and olive green. In woodpeckers, many species exhibit patches of red and yellow on their heads and bellies, and these bright areas are important in signaling. The dark areas of plumage are often iridescent. Although the sexes of Picidae species tend to look alike, many woodpecker species have more prominent red or yellow head markings in males than in females.