Woodpeckers of the World: Woodpecker Taxonomy

Wednesday, 10 September 2014

Woodpecker Taxonomy

Taxonomy... yes, the debates go on. There are several lists of birds out there, and no sign that things will be agreed upon and coordinated in the near future. Regarding woodpeckers, here in this photo is one taxon that moves between being a 'species' or a 'sub-species' depending upon which 'authority' is followed. I have this down as an American Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis, although it was, and still is by some, regarded as a race of Picoides tridactylus. Photo taken in Oregon, USA, July 2014, Gerard Gorman.

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Background

Woodpeckers, the Picidae, are Piciformes, an order that includes some of the oldest avian lineages. The Piciformes probably originated about 60 million years ago in the Tertiary period and became distinct from their closest relatives some 50 million years ago. Depending upon which taxonomy is followed, and the fact that the status of some species is unclear, around 240-260 woodpecker species probably exist globally. The Picidae includes three subfamilies: Jynginae (wrynecks), Picumninae (piculets) and the Picinae, the “true woodpeckers”. In terms of size, behaviour, distribution and the habitats they use, the Picinae are a fairly diverse group of birds with six distinct tribes. They are widespread and found from sea-level to high-altitudes but absent from the Arctic, Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar and some other islands. Worldwide woodpeckers are usually, but not exclusively, associated with trees.