Picidae

Picidae is a bird family in the order Piciformes that includes the woodpeckers, piculets, and wrynecks. They occur in forests and woodlands worldwide, with the greatest diversity in tropical regions. They are characterized by stout, chisel-like bills, strong skulls with reinforced braincases, and long, protrusible tongues. Most have zygodactyl feet (two toes facing forward and two back) and stiff tail feathers that aid in bracing against trunks as they climb.

Picids are primarily arboreal insectivores. They forage by hammering into wood to find beetle larvae and other timber-boring prey, and they use drumming to locate prey and to communicate. A few species feed on sap, fruit, or nuts. Plumage often provides camouflage against bark.

Nest sites are cavities in living or dead trees, excavated by the birds themselves or used by others. Incubation and parental care vary, but many species share duties; clutches commonly range from two to seven eggs, with fledging after a few weeks.

The family is divided into subfamilies Picinae (true woodpeckers), Picumninae (piculets), and Jynginae (wrynecks). Together they comprise several hundred species across most continents.

Picids play a key ecological role by controlling insect populations and by creating nesting cavities used by other animals. They face threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change, with regional declines in many areas. Some species are of least concern, while others are near threatened or endangered.