Table Of ContentWOODPECKERS
OW
O F THE WORLD F
T
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Woodpeckers of the World is the ultimate photographic guide to these
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charismatic birds of woods and forests, from the tiny piculets through
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sapsuckers, wrynecks and flickers to the spectacular flamebacks and giant
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Campephilus woodpeckers
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Packed with spectacular photography from dozens of the world’s O
finest natural history photographers, this book covers all 239 species of
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woodpeckers. Concise text looks at identification, vocalisations, drumming,
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habitat, range, food and feeding, taxonomy and confusion species. It
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is complemented by up-to-date range maps and more than 750 colour
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photographs. The photographic coverage includes most plumages and
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considerable subspecific variation, making this the definitive work on
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woodpecker identification.
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C GERARD GORMAN
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o
m
W O O D P E C K E R S
p
E
l
e
t
e O F THE WORLD
The Complete Guide
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u
iS
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e
GERARD
www.bloomsbury.com
GORMAN
Gerard Gorman is a naturalist and tour leader based
in Budapest, Hungary. A seasoned woodpecker expert,
his previous books include Woodpeckers of Europe and
Christopher Helm
The Black Woodpecker.
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woodpeckers
of the world
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woodpeckers
of the world
The Complete Guide
Gerard Gorman
Christopher helm
london
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This electronic edition published in 2014 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
published 2014 by Christopher helm, an imprint of Bloomsbury publishing plc,
50 Bedford square, london WC1B 3dp.
www.bloomsbury.com
Bloomsbury is a trademark of Bloomsbury publishing plc
Copyright © 2014 text by Gerard Gorman
Copyright © 2014 in the photographs remains with the individual photographers –
see credits on pages 519–520
the right of Gerard Gorman to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in
accordance with the Copyright, design and patents Act 1988.
isBn (print) 978-1-4081-4715-3
isBn (ebook) 978-1-4081-4716-0
ISBN (epdf) 978-1-4081-4717-7
A Cip catalogue record for this book is available from the British library.
All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this
publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital,
optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission
of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to
criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
this book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed sustainable forests.
it is natural, renewable and recyclable. the logging and manufacturing processes conform to the
environmental regulations of the country of origin.
Commissioning editor: Jim martin
design by Julie dando, Fluke Art
printed in China by C&C offset printing Co ltd.
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Contents
ACknoWledGements 12
introduCtion 13
tAxonomy 14
nomenclature 14
distriBution 15
movements and migration 15
AnAtomy And morpholoGy 16
topography of a typical woodpecker 17
hABitAt 18
BehAViour 19
BreedinG 20
plumAGe And moult 22
sexual dimorphism 23
Food And ForAGinG 24
FliGht 27
CAlls 28
drumminG 28
the importAnCe oF WoodpeCkers 30
pest Control 30
indicators and keystones 31
technology 32
Conservation 32
notes on the speCies ACCounts 33
the speCies ACCounts 35
JYNX 35
1. eurAsiAn WryneCk Jynx torquilla 36
2. red-throAted WryneCk Jynx ruficollis 38
PICUMNUS 40
3. speCkled piCulet Picumnus innominatus 41
4. BAr-BreAsted piCulet Picumnus aurifrons 43
5. lAFresnAye’s piCulet Picumnus lafresnayi 45
6. orinoCo piCulet Picumnus pumilus 46
7. Golden-spAnGled piCulet Picumnus exilis 48
8. BlACk-dotted piCulet Picumnus nigropunctatus 50
9. eCuAdoriAn piCulet Picumnus sclateri 52
10. sCAled piCulet Picumnus squamulatus 54
11. White-Bellied piCulet Picumnus spilogaster 56
12. ArroWheAd piCulet Picumnus minutissimus 58
13. spotted piCulet Picumnus pygmaeus 60
14. speCkle-Chested piCulet Picumnus steindachneri 62
15. VárzeA piCulet Picumnus varzeae 64
16. White-BArred piCulet Picumnus cirratus 65
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17. oCellAted piCulet Picumnus dorbignyanus 68
18. oChre-CollAred piCulet Picumnus temminckii 70
19. White-WedGed piCulet Picumnus albosquamatus 72
20. rusty-neCked piCulet Picumnus fuscus 74
21. ruFous-BreAsted piCulet Picumnus rufiventris 75
22. oChrACeous piCulet Picumnus limae 77
23. tAWny piCulet Picumnus fulvescens 78
24. mottled piCulet Picumnus nebulosus 80
25. plAin-BreAsted piCulet Picumnus castelnau 82
26. Fine-BArred piCulet Picumnus subtilis 83
27. oliVACeous piCulet Picumnus olivaceus 84
28. Greyish piCulet Picumnus granadensis 86
29. Chestnut piCulet Picumnus cinnamomeus 87
SASIA 88
30. AFriCAn piCulet Sasia africana 89
31. ruFous piCulet Sasia abnormis 90
32. White-BroWed piCulet Sasia ochracea 92
NESOCTITES 94
33. AntilleAn piCulet Nesoctites micromegas 95
HEMICIRCUS 97
34. Grey-And-BuFF WoodpeCker Hemicircus concretus 98
35. heArt-spotted WoodpeCker Hemicircus canente 100
MElANERPES 102
36. White WoodpeCker Melanerpes candidus 103
37. leWis’s WoodpeCker Melanerpes lewis 105
38. GuAdeloupe WoodpeCker Melanerpes herminieri 107
39. puerto riCAn WoodpeCker Melanerpes portoricensis 108
40. red-heAded WoodpeCker Melanerpes erythrocephalus 110
41. ACorn WoodpeCker Melanerpes formicivorus 112
42. yelloW-tuFted WoodpeCker Melanerpes cruentatus 115
43. yelloW-Fronted WoodpeCker Melanerpes flavifrons 117
44. Golden-nAped WoodpeCker Melanerpes chrysauchen 120
45. BeAutiFul WoodpeCker Melanerpes pulcher 122
46. BlACk-Cheeked WoodpeCker Melanerpes pucherani 124
47. White-Fronted WoodpeCker Melanerpes cactorum 126
48. hispAniolAn WoodpeCker Melanerpes striatus 128
49. JAmAiCAn WoodpeCker Melanerpes radiolatus 130
50. Golden-Cheeked WoodpeCker Melanerpes chrysogenys 132
51. Grey-BreAsted WoodpeCker Melanerpes hypopolius 134
52. yuCAtAn WoodpeCker Melanerpes pygmaeus 136
53. red-CroWned WoodpeCker Melanerpes rubricapillus 138
54. GilA WoodpeCker Melanerpes uropygialis 140
55. hoFFmAnn’s WoodpeCker Melanerpes hoffmannii 142
56. Golden-Fronted WoodpeCker Melanerpes aurifrons 144
57. VelAsquez’s WoodpeCker Melanerpes santacruzi 146
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58. red-Bellied WoodpeCker Melanerpes carolinus 148
59. West indiAn WoodpeCker Melanerpes superciliaris 150
SPHYRAPICUS 153
60. WilliAmson’s sApsuCker Sphyrapicus thyroideus 154
61. yelloW-Bellied sApsuCker Sphyrapicus varius 156
62. red-nAped sApsuCker Sphyrapicus nuchalis 158
63. red-BreAsted sApsuCker Sphyrapicus ruber 160
XIPHIDIOPICUS 162
64. CuBAn Green WoodpeCker Xiphidiopicus percussus 163
CAMPETHERA 165
65. Fine-spotted WoodpeCker Campethera punctuligera 166
66. Bennett’s WoodpeCker Campethera bennettii 168
67. reiChenoW’s WoodpeCker Campethera scriptoricauda 170
68. nuBiAn WoodpeCker Campethera nubica 172
69. Golden-tAiled WoodpeCker Campethera abingoni 175
70. momBAsA WoodpeCker Campethera mombassica 177
71. knysnA WoodpeCker Campethera notata 179
72. Green-BACked WoodpeCker Campethera cailliautii 181
73. little Green WoodpeCker Campethera maculosa 183
74. tullBerG’s WoodpeCker Campethera tullbergi 184
75. BuFF-spotted WoodpeCker Campethera nivosa 186
76. BroWn-eAred WoodpeCker Campethera caroli 188
GEOCOlAPTES 190
77. Ground WoodpeCker Geocolaptes olivaceus 191
DENDROPICOS 193
78. little Grey WoodpeCker Dendropicos elachus 194
79. speCkle-BreAsted
WoodpeCker Dendropicos poecilolaemus 195
80. AByssiniAn WoodpeCker Dendropicos abyssinicus 196
81. CArdinAl WoodpeCker Dendropicos fuscescens 198
82. GABon WoodpeCker Dendropicos gabonensis 200
83. melAnCholy WoodpeCker Dendropicos lugubris 201
84. stierlinG’s WoodpeCker Dendropicos stierlingi 202
85. BeArded WoodpeCker Dendropicos namaquus 203
86. Golden-CroWned WoodpeCker Dendropicos xantholophus 206
87. Fire-Bellied WoodpeCker Dendropicos pyrrhogaster 208
88. elliot’s WoodpeCker Dendropicos elliotii 209
89. AFriCAn Grey WoodpeCker Dendropicos goertae 210
90. eAstern Grey WoodpeCker Dendropicos spodocephalus 212
91. oliVe WoodpeCker Dendropicos griseocephalus 214
92. BroWn-BACked WoodpeCker Dendropicos obsoletus 216
DENDROCOPOS 218
93. ruFous-Bellied WoodpeCker Dendrocopos hyperythrus 219
94. sulAWesi WoodpeCker Dendrocopos temminckii 221
95. philippine WoodpeCker Dendrocopos maculatus 222
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96. sulu WoodpeCker Dendrocopos ramsayi 224
97. sundA WoodpeCker Dendrocopos moluccensis 225
98. BroWn-CApped WoodpeCker Dendrocopos nanus 227
99. pyGmy WoodpeCker Dendrocopos kizuki 229
100. Grey-CApped WoodpeCker Dendrocopos canicapillus 231
101. lesser spotted WoodpeCker Dendrocopos minor 233
102. FulVous-BreAsted
WoodpeCker Dendrocopos macei 235
103. FreCkle-BreAsted
WoodpeCker Dendrocopos analis 237
104. stripe-BreAsted WoodpeCker Dendrocopos atratus 239
105. BroWn-Fronted WoodpeCker Dendrocopos auriceps 240
106. yelloW-CroWned WoodpeCker Dendrocopos mahrattensis 242
107. ArABiAn WoodpeCker Dendrocopos dorae 244
108. Crimson-BreAsted
WoodpeCker Dendrocopos cathpharius 246
109. dArJeelinG WoodpeCker Dendrocopos darjellensis 248
110. middle spotted WoodpeCker Dendrocopos medius 250
111. White-BACked WoodpeCker Dendrocopos leucotos 252
112. okinAWA WoodpeCker Dendrocopos noguchii 255
113. himAlAyAn WoodpeCker Dendrocopos himalayensis 258
114. sind WoodpeCker Dendrocopos assimilis 260
115. syriAn WoodpeCker Dendrocopos syriacus 261
116. White-WinGed WoodpeCker Dendrocopos leucopterus 263
117. GreAt spotted WoodpeCker Dendrocopos major 265
PICOIDES 268
118. lAdder-BACked WoodpeCker Picoides scalaris 269
119. nuttAll’s WoodpeCker Picoides nuttallii 271
120. doWny WoodpeCker Picoides pubescens 272
121. hAiry WoodpeCker Picoides villosus 274
122. ArizonA WoodpeCker Picoides arizonae 276
123. striCklAnd’s WoodpeCker Picoides stricklandi 278
124. red-CoCkAded WoodpeCker Picoides borealis 279
125. White-heAded WoodpeCker Picoides albolarvatus 281
126. smoky-BroWn WoodpeCker Picoides fumigatus 283
127. eurAsiAn three-toed
WoodpeCker Picoides tridactylus 285
128. AmeriCAn three-toed
WoodpeCker Picoides dorsalis 289
129. BlACk-BACked WoodpeCker Picoides arcticus 291
VENIlIORNIS 293
130. sCArlet-BACked WoodpeCker Veniliornis callonotus 294
131. yelloW-Vented WoodpeCker Veniliornis dignus 296
132. BAr-Bellied WoodpeCker Veniliornis nigriceps 298
133. little WoodpeCker Veniliornis passerinus 299
134. dot-Fronted WoodpeCker Veniliornis frontalis 302
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