Woodpeckers of the World

The first definitive photographic guide to woodpeckers, covering all 239 species.

Woodpeckers remain one of the most popular families of birds, and they are certainly one of the more unusual. Their legendary ability to excavate holes in wood is well known, and they are uniquely adapted for living in trees - though a few species have become more adapted to ground-dwelling.

The family ranges from the tiny piculets of tropical forests to the mighty Imperial Woodpecker of Mexico, sadly now extinct. In between there is a considerable variety of species, all of a roughly similar shape and design, inhabiting forests and woodlands through the world except Australasia and Antarctica.

Detailed text looks in detail at the biology of the birds, with particular emphasis on field identification, along with voice, habitat, status, racial variation and distribution. The text is accompanied by a series of high-quality photographs - more than 750 images, carefully selected to highlight identification criteria. Each species entry is completed by an accurate colour range map.

A sister to Owls of the World in the Helm Photographic Guides series, Woodpeckers of the World is an informative, fact-filled and beautifully illustrated guide to a group beloved by all birders.

Auteur

Gerard Gorman is an expert naturalist and author based in Hungary. He is widely regarded as Eastern Europe's most accomplished birding guide and is the author of several books, including Woodpeckers of Europe (2004) and Woodpeckers of the World (2014).

Contenu

Acknowledgements

Introduction
Taxonomy

• Nomenclature
  Distribution
• Movements and migration
  Anatomy and Morphology
• Topography of a typical woodpecker
  Habitat
  Behaviour
  Breeding
  Plumage and Moult
• Sexual dimorphism
  Food and Foraging
  Flight
  Calls
  Drumming
  The Important of Woodpeckers
• Pest control
• Indicators and keystones
• Technology
• Conservation
  Notes on the Species Accounts

The Species Accounts

Bibliography
Photographic Credits