List of woodpeckers


The International Ornithological Committee recognizes these 241 species of woodpeckers which make up the family Picidae. They are distributed among 36 genera, six of which have only one species. One species, the Bermuda flicker, is extinct. The family's taxonomy is unsettled; the Clements taxonomy lists 235 species and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World lists 254.
This list is presented according to the IOC taxonomic sequence and can also be sorted alphabetically by common name and binomial.
Common nameBinomial name + authorityIOC sequence
Eurasian wryneckJynx torquilla Linnaeus, 17581
Red-throated wryneckJynx ruficollis Wagler, 18302
Speckled piculetPicumnus innominatus Burton, E, 18363
Bar-breasted piculetPicumnus aurifrons Pelzeln, 18704
Lafresnaye's piculetPicumnus lafresnayi Malherbe, 18625
Orinoco piculetPicumnus pumilus Cabanis & Heine, 18636
Golden-spangled piculetPicumnus exilis 7
Ecuadorian piculetPicumnus sclateri Taczanowski, 18778
Scaled piculetPicumnus squamulatus Lafresnaye, 18549
White-bellied piculetPicumnus spilogaster Sundevall, 186610
Arrowhead piculetPicumnus minutissimus 11
Spotted piculetPicumnus pygmaeus 12
Speckle-chested piculetPicumnus steindachneri Taczanowski, 188213
Varzea piculetPicumnus varzeae Snethlage, E, 191214
White-barred piculetPicumnus cirratus Temminck, 182515
Ocellated piculetPicumnus dorbignyanus Lafresnaye, 184516
Ochre-collared piculetPicumnus temminckii Lafresnaye, 184517
White-wedged piculetPicumnus albosquamatus d'Orbigny, 184018
Rusty-necked piculetPicumnus fuscus Pelzeln, 187019
Rufous-breasted piculetPicumnus rufiventris 20
Ochraceous piculetPicumnus limae Snethlage, E, 192421
Mottled piculetPicumnus nebulosus Sundevall, 186622
Plain-breasted piculetPicumnus castelnau Malherbe, 186223
Fine-barred piculetPicumnus subtilis Stager, 196824
Olivaceous piculetPicumnus olivaceus Lafresnaye, 184525
Greyish piculetPicumnus granadensis Lafresnaye, 184726
Chestnut piculetPicumnus cinnamomeus Wagler, 182927
African piculetVerreauxia africana 28
Rufous piculetSasia abnormis 29
White-browed piculetSasia ochracea Hodgson, 183730
Antillean piculetNesoctites micromegas 31
Grey-and-buff woodpeckerHemicircus concretus 32
Heart-spotted woodpeckerHemicircus canente 33
White woodpeckerMelanerpes candidus 34
Lewis's woodpeckerMelanerpes lewis 35
Guadeloupe woodpeckerMelanerpes herminieri 36
Puerto Rican woodpeckerMelanerpes portoricensis 37
Red-headed woodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus 38
Acorn woodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus 39
Yellow-tufted woodpeckerMelanerpes cruentatus 40
Yellow-fronted woodpeckerMelanerpes flavifrons 41
Golden-naped woodpeckerMelanerpes chrysauchen Salvin, 187042
Beautiful woodpeckerMelanerpes pulcher Sclater, PL, 187043
Black-cheeked woodpeckerMelanerpes pucherani 44
White-fronted woodpeckerMelanerpes cactorum 45
Hispaniolan woodpeckerMelanerpes striatus 46
Jamaican woodpeckerMelanerpes radiolatus 47
Golden-cheeked woodpeckerMelanerpes chrysogenys 48
Grey-breasted woodpeckerMelanerpes hypopolius 49
Yucatan woodpeckerMelanerpes pygmaeus 50
Red-crowned woodpeckerMelanerpes rubricapillus 51
Gila woodpeckerMelanerpes uropygialis 52
Hoffmann's woodpeckerMelanerpes hoffmannii 53
Golden-fronted woodpeckerMelanerpes aurifrons 54
Velasquez's woodpeckerMelanerpes santacruzi 55
Red-bellied woodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus 56
West Indian woodpeckerMelanerpes superciliaris 57
Williamson's sapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideus 58
Yellow-bellied sapsuckerSphyrapicus varius 59
Red-naped sapsuckerSphyrapicus nuchalis Baird, SF, 185860
Red-breasted sapsuckerSphyrapicus ruber 61
Cuban green woodpeckerXiphidiopicus percussus 62
Buff-spotted woodpeckerPardipicus nivosus 63
Brown-eared woodpeckerPardipicus caroli 64
Ground woodpeckerGeocolaptes olivaceus 65
Fine-spotted woodpeckerCampethera punctuligera 66
Bennett's woodpeckerCampethera bennettii 67
Speckle-throated woodpeckerCampethera scriptoricauda 68
Nubian woodpeckerCampethera nubica 69
Golden-tailed woodpeckerCampethera abingoni 70
Mombasa woodpeckerCampethera mombassica 71
Knysna woodpeckerCampethera notata 72
Little green woodpeckerCampethera maculosa 73
Little spotted woodpeckerCampethera cailliautii 74
Tullberg's woodpeckerCampethera tullbergi Sjöstedt, 189275
Fine-banded woodpeckerCampethera taeniolaema Reichenow & Neumann, 189576
Sulawesi pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus temminckii 77
Brown-capped pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus nanus 78
Grey-capped pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus canicapillus 79
Philippine pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus maculatus 80
Sulu pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus ramsayi Hargitt, 188181
Sunda pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus moluccensis 82
Japanese pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus kizuki 83
Eurasian three-toed woodpeckerPicoides tridactylus 84
American three-toed woodpeckerPicoides dorsalis Baird, SF, 185885
Black-backed woodpeckerPicoides arcticus 86
Arabian woodpeckerDendrocoptes dorae 87
Brown-fronted woodpeckerDendrocoptes auriceps 88
Middle spotted woodpeckerDendrocoptes medius 89
Yellow-crowned woodpeckerLeiopicus mahrattensis 90
Bearded woodpeckerChloropicus namaquus 91
Yellow-crested woodpeckerChloropicus xantholophus Hargitt, 188392
Fire-bellied woodpeckerChloropicus pyrrhogaster 93
Little grey woodpeckerDendropicos elachus Oberholser, 191994
Speckle-breasted woodpeckerDendropicos poecilolaemus Reichenow, 189395
Abyssinian woodpeckerDendropicos abyssinicus 96
Cardinal woodpeckerDendropicos fuscescens 97
Gabon woodpeckerDendropicos gabonensis 98
Melancholy woodpeckerDendropicos lugubris Hartlaub, 185799
Stierling's woodpeckerDendropicos stierlingi Reichenow, 1901100
Elliot's woodpeckerDendropicos elliotii 101
African grey woodpeckerDendropicos goertae 102
Eastern grey woodpeckerDendropicos spodocephalus 103
Olive woodpeckerDendropicos griseocephalus 104
Brown-backed woodpeckerDendropicos obsoletus 105
Nuttall's woodpeckerDryobates nuttallii 106
Ladder-backed woodpeckerDryobates scalaris 107
Downy woodpeckerDryobates pubescens 108
Crimson-naped woodpeckerDryobates cathpharius 109
Necklaced woodpeckerDryobates pernyii 110
Lesser spotted woodpeckerDryobates minor 111
Little woodpeckerVeniliornis passerinus 112
Dot-fronted woodpeckerVeniliornis frontalis 113
White-spotted woodpeckerVeniliornis spilogaster 114
Checkered woodpeckerVeniliornis mixtus 115
Striped woodpeckerVeniliornis lignarius 116
Scarlet-backed woodpeckerVeniliornis callonotus 117
Yellow-vented woodpeckerVeniliornis dignus 118
Bar-bellied woodpeckerVeniliornis nigriceps 119
Blood-colored woodpeckerVeniliornis sanguineus 120
Red-rumped woodpeckerVeniliornis kirkii 121
Red-stained woodpeckerVeniliornis affinis 122
Choco woodpeckerVeniliornis chocoensis Todd, 1919123
Golden-collared woodpeckerVeniliornis cassini 124
Yellow-eared woodpeckerVeniliornis maculifrons 125
Red-cockaded woodpeckerLeuconotopicus borealis 126
Smoky-brown woodpeckerLeuconotopicus fumigatus 127
Arizona woodpeckerLeuconotopicus arizonae 128
Strickland's woodpeckerLeuconotopicus stricklandi 129
Hairy woodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus 130
White-headed woodpeckerLeuconotopicus albolarvatus 131
Rufous-bellied woodpeckerDendrocopos hyperythrus 132
Fulvous-breasted woodpeckerDendrocopos macei 133
Freckle-breasted woodpeckerDendrocopos analis 134
Stripe-breasted woodpeckerDendrocopos atratus 135
Darjeeling woodpeckerDendrocopos darjellensis 136
Himalayan woodpeckerDendrocopos himalayensis 137
Sind woodpeckerDendrocopos assimilis 138
Syrian woodpeckerDendrocopos syriacus 139
White-winged woodpeckerDendrocopos leucopterus 140
Great spotted woodpeckerDendrocopos major 141
Okinawa woodpeckerDendrocopos noguchii 142
White-backed woodpeckerDendrocopos leucotos 143
Rufous-winged woodpeckerPiculus simplex 144
Stripe-cheeked woodpeckerPiculus callopterus 145
White-throated woodpeckerPiculus leucolaemus 146
Lita woodpeckerPiculus litae 147
Yellow-throated woodpeckerPiculus flavigula 148
Golden-green woodpeckerPiculus chrysochloros 149
Yellow-browed woodpeckerPiculus aurulentus 150
Golden-olive woodpeckerColaptes rubiginosus 151
Bronze-winged woodpeckerColaptes aeruginosus 152
Grey-crowned woodpeckerColaptes auricularis 153
Crimson-mantled woodpeckerColaptes rivolii 154
Black-necked woodpeckerColaptes atricollis 155
Spot-breasted woodpeckerColaptes punctigula 156
Green-barred woodpeckerColaptes melanochloros 157
Northern flickerColaptes auratus 158
Guatemalan flickerColaptes mixicanoides Lafresnaye, 1844159
Gilded flickerColaptes chrysoides 160
Bermuda flickerColaptes oceanicus Olson, 2013161
Fernandina's flickerColaptes fernandinae Vigors, 1827162
Chilean flickerColaptes pitius 163
Andean flickerColaptes rupicola d'Orbigny, 1840164
Campo flickerColaptes campestris 165
Cinnamon woodpeckerCeleus loricatus 165
Waved woodpeckerCeleus undatus 167
Chestnut-colored woodpeckerCeleus castaneus 168
Chestnut woodpeckerCeleus elegans 169
Pale-crested woodpeckerCeleus lugubris 170
Blond-crested woodpeckerCeleus flavescens 171
Ochre-backed woodpeckerCeleus ochraceus 121
Cream-colored woodpeckerCeleus flavus 173
Rufous-headed woodpeckerCeleus spectabilis Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1880174
Kaempfer's woodpeckerCeleus obrieni Short, 1973175
Ringed woodpeckerCeleus torquatus 176
Helmeted woodpeckerCeleus galeatus 177
Black-bodied woodpeckerDryocopus schulzii 178
Lineated woodpeckerDryocopus lineatus 179
Pileated woodpeckerDryocopus pileatus 180
White-bellied woodpeckerDryocopus javensis 181
Andaman woodpeckerDryocopus hodgei 182
Black woodpeckerDryocopus martius 183
Powerful woodpeckerCampephilus pollens 184
Splendid woodpeckerCampephilus splendens Hargitt, 1889185
Crimson-bellied woodpeckerCampephilus haematogaster 186
Red-necked woodpeckerCampephilus rubricollis 187
Robust woodpeckerCampephilus robustus 188
Crimson-crested woodpeckerCampephilus melanoleucos 189
Pale-billed woodpeckerCampephilus guatemalensis 190
Guayaquil woodpeckerCampephilus gayaquilensis 191
Cream-backed woodpeckerCampephilus leucopogon 192
Magellanic woodpeckerCampephilus magellanicus 193
Ivory-billed woodpeckerCampephilus principalis 194
Imperial woodpeckerCampephilus imperialis 195
Banded woodpeckerChrysophlegma miniaceum 196
Checker-throated woodpeckerChrysophlegma mentale 197
Greater yellownapeChrysophlegma flavinucha 198
Lesser yellownapePicus chlorolophus Vieillot, 1818199
Crimson-winged woodpeckerPicus puniceus Horsfield, 1821200
Streak-breasted woodpeckerPicus viridanus Blyth, 1843201
Laced woodpeckerPicus vittatus Vieillot, 1818202
Streak-throated woodpeckerPicus xanthopygaeus 203
Scaly-bellied woodpeckerPicus squamatus Vigors, 1831204
Japanese green woodpeckerPicus awokera Temminck, 1836205
European green woodpeckerPicus viridis Linnaeus, 1758206
Iberian green woodpeckerPicus sharpei 207
Levaillant's woodpeckerPicus vaillantii 208
Red-collared woodpeckerPicus rabieri 209
Black-headed woodpeckerPicus erythropygius 210
Grey-headed woodpeckerPicus canus Gmelin, JF, 1788211
Sumatran woodpeckerPicus dedemi 212
Himalayan flamebackDinopium shorii 213
Common flamebackDinopium javanense 214
Spot-throated flamebackDinopium everetti 215
Black-rumped flamebackDinopium benghalense 216
Red-backed flamebackDinopium psarodes 217
Orange-backed woodpeckerChrysocolaptes validus 218
Buff-spotted flamebackChrysocolaptes lucidus 219
Luzon flamebackChrysocolaptes haematribon 220
Yellow-faced flamebackChrysocolaptes xanthocephalus Walden & Layard, EL, 1872221
Red-headed flamebackChrysocolaptes erythrocephalus Sharpe, 1877222
Javan flamebackChrysocolaptes strictus 223
Greater flamebackChrysocolaptes guttacristatus 224
Malabar flamebackChrysocolaptes socialis Koelz, 1939225
Crimson-backed flamebackChrysocolaptes stricklandi 226
White-naped woodpeckerChrysocolaptes festivus 227
Pale-headed woodpeckerGecinulus grantia 228
Bamboo woodpeckerGecinulus viridis Blyth, 1862229
Olive-backed woodpeckerGecinulus rafflesii 230
Maroon woodpeckerBlythipicus rubiginosus 231
Bay woodpeckerBlythipicus pyrrhotis 232
Rufous woodpeckerMicropternus brachyurus 233
Buff-rumped woodpeckerMeiglyptes grammithorax 234
Zebra woodpeckerMeiglyptes tristis 235
Black-and-buff woodpeckerMeiglyptes jugularis 236
Buff-necked woodpeckerMeiglyptes tukki 237
Ashy woodpeckerMulleripicus fulvus 238
Northern sooty woodpeckerMulleripicus funebris 239
Southern sooty woodpeckerMulleripicus fuliginosus Tweeddale, 1877240
Great slaty woodpeckerMulleripicus pulverulentus 241