Woodpeckers of the World: May 2013

Monday, 20 May 2013

Picid in Focus: Eurasian Wryneck

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla. There are two species of wryneck and they both differ from 'true' woodpeckers in many respects. For example, wrynecks do not excavate their own nest-holes but rather use those of other species or natural cavities. Photo by Gerard Gorman, Hungary, May 2013.

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Primary and Secondary Cavity Users

Most woodpeckers excavate their own holes in trees in which to breed and roost. They are 'primary cavity users'. Many other birds that cannot create such cavities, but need them as nesting sites, depend upon woodpecker holes. Such species are called 'secondary cavity users'. Here is an example: a young Tengmalm's Owl (aka Boreal Owl) looks out from a Black Woodpecker hole. In some cases the distribution and even breeding success of secondary cavity users is linked to woodpeckers. Photo by Thomas Hochebner taken in Austria.

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.