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

Along with the passenger pigeon we exterminated the great auk, the Carolina parakeet, the Labrador duck and the ivory-billed woodpecker.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

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 authors point out that New Caledonian crows, Goffin's cockatoos, woodpecker finches, bearded capuchins, bottlenose dolphins, orangutans, gorillas and sea otters can also use tools flexibly.

From Salon ● May 13, 2024

This would make it, as I mentioned once before, the largest woodpecker in existence.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

This year, the award-winning British birding podcast “Get Birding” welcomed a new host better known for portraying doomed heroes like Ned Stark in “Game of Thrones,” than for his knowledge of green woodpeckers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

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

She says she now never sees less common species like treecreepers, nuthatches and green woodpeckers in her garden.

From BBC ● Jan. 25, 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

Even the woodpeckers that had been tapping around me all morning were silent.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George