woodpecker

American  

[wood-pek-er] / ˈwʊdˌpɛk ər /

noun

• woodpeckers
  plural

1. any of numerous climbing birds of the family Picidae, having a hard, chisel-like bill that it hammers repeatedly into wood in search of insects, stiff tail feathers to assist in climbing, and usually more or less boldly patterned plumage.

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woodpecker British  

/ ˈwʊdˌpɛkə /

noun

1. any climbing bird of the family Picidae, typically having a brightly coloured plumage and strong chisel-like bill with which they bore into trees for insects: order Piciformes

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• woodpeckers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of woodpecker

First recorded in 1520–30; wood ¹ + pecker

Explanation

Woodpeckers are birds that use their sharp bills to drill holes in trees so they can forage for insects. While woodpeckers are occasionally considered pests, they actually protect trees against infestation.. There are over 200 species of woodpecker, most of which live in wooded areas. They vary in appearance, but many have black and white feathers and a bright red cap. One thing all woodpeckers have in common is the ability to peck holes in a tree trunk hard enough so they can reach the tasty insects and grubs inside with their long tongues. If you hear a faint tapping as you walk through the forest, it's probably a woodpecker!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

woodpecker woodpeckers

The second category of birds feature: the Atlantic puffin, the barn owl, the common kingfisher, the Eurasian curlew, the great spotted woodpecker, and the white-tailed eagle.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

As a small-scale songbird rehabilitator I am not equipped, for instance, to take on a pileated woodpecker, which can smash its way out of any enclosure not made of steel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025

But also be on the lookout for a pesky woodpecker.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2024

In warm weather, it’s alive with nuthatches, chickadees, sometimes a downy woodpecker.

From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024

The only sound was the hammer-like ‘chack-chack’ of a woodpecker warning rivals away.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

The residents watched the same deer, coyotes and woodpeckers and played tennis and swam with the same dramatic backdrop of the Santa Monica Mountains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026

He also adores green woodpeckers having become infatuated with one of his grandfather's table mats which featured an illustration of one.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2024

Snags are a place for animals to roost or nest, thanks in no small part to the work of primary cavity nesters, notably woodpeckers, who excavate holes that also benefit others.

From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2024

Snag-reliant woodpeckers are of particular importance among those species, acting as ecosystem engineers through their foraging and nesting activities.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 23, 2024

Thus, woodpeckers are the primary control of the Engelmann spruce beetle, reducing its populations from 45 to 98 per cent and are important in the control of the codling moth in apple orchards.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson