Woodpeckers of the World: Photographers

Monday, 30 September 2013

Photographers - A Thank You

I'd like to thank all the photographers who contributed their images of woodpeckers for possible inclusion in my forthcoming book WOODPECKERS OF THE WORLD - A PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE. I cannot say just yet which photos will be included, as there are many to select from, but a big thank you to all. The book will be edited and formatted during in the coming months and hopefully released next summer. Gerard Gorman. This male White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis confusus was photographed by Subic Bay, Zambales, Philippines, by Alain Pascua.

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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.