SEASON'S GREETINGS

ALL THE BEST FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON 

TO ALL FRIENDS OF WOODPECKERS 

(and everyone else, too, I suppose)

Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis, Hungary, by Gerard Gorman

Facebook Group

If you use FACEBOOK, then check out, join, and contribute to the WOODPECKERS OF THE WORLD GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1438058619755392/

Woodpeckers of the World due in 2014

After many years of research and writing, my new book WOODPECKERS OF THE WORLD: A Photographic Guide will be published next summer. I am currently sorting through 100s of wonderful colour images of the world's picids and writing their captions. Here is a draft of the cover, which may not be final, but at least illustrates what is in store ! Click the link above to view the publisher's page and perhaps order a copy at the pre-publication price. Gerard Gorman.

Great Spotted Woodpecker posing

A great pose and image of a Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Taken in Austria by Gerhard Rotheneder.

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.

Grey-faced Woodpecker close-up

Here is a nice close-up image of a Grey-faced (aka Grey-headed) Woodpecker male. This species ranges from Europe right across Eurasia to SE Asia with many races, some visually very distinct. The nominate Picus canus canus occurs in Europe. Photo taken near Traisen, Austria, by Thomas Hochebner.