White-backed Woodpecker male

Male White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, nominate race. Bukk Hills, October 2013, Gerard Gorman.

Woodpecker feet and tail

In this classic picid pose, this female Black Woodpecker shows how she uses her feet to cling to bark and her tail to act as a prop and provide support. In fact, the majority of woodpeckers have many anatomical adaptations that facilitate their arboreal lifestyle - their whole body is designed for a life of climbing up and hacking into trees and hammering on hard surfaces.