Woodpeckers of the World: March 2022

Thursday, 3 March 2022

Monograph on the White-backed Woodpecker complex (in French)

A very good booklet has just been published in French by a fellow picid researcher J.L. GRANGÉ. English translation is: Monograph on the White-backed Woodpecker complex (Dendrocopos leucotos), published by the French Society of Ornithological Studies (SEOF) as a special issue of their international review Alauda (Vol. 90 (1), 2022). Summary: The White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos is one of the woodpecker species specialized in a very specific trophic niche: mature forests with predominance of deciduous trees, rich in dead wood and sapro-xylophilic insects.Its wide geographical distribution has allowed a diversification of populations in many sub-specific taxa. The “form” of the mountains in the south of our continent, called Pic de Lilford, is present in the western Pyrenees mountains (France-Spain). This special issue traces the story of its discovery and analyzes the taxonomic treatment reserved for it at present, with the description and illustration of the subspecies and their physical characteristics. The various aspects of the life of the species (ecology, reproduction) are then developed. An introductory chapter presents the adaptations of the Picidae family, including many that are original to the avian world. Finally, we discuss the rôle of Woodpeckers in the forest and recommended some conservation measures. The book (152 pages) is abundantly illustrated (28 color plates) with many unpublished documents, biographical appendices and more than 600 bibliographical references. Price is 24 Euros including shipping. Orders can be sent to www.gopa-pyrenees.fr

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.