WOODPECKER
			Phylum: Class: Order: Chordata Aves Picidae

There are about 200 species of woodpecker, and they are found in woodlands around the world, with the exception of Australia, Madagascar, and certain oceanic islands.

They grow as long as 2 feet (60 cm), and are usually brightly colored with patterns of black, white, green, tan or red. A few breeds have crests. The bill is straight and pointed. The legs are short, and the feet usually have two toes facing forward and two backward. The arrangement of their toes enables them to get a good grip on the bark, however, some woodpeckers have only three toes.

They are tree-living, solitary birds. The tail is made up of stiff feathers, and is used to prop up the woodpecker as it clings to a tree trunk. They spend most of their time climbing trees in search of insects. They use their bills to prize their prey from the bark or drill into the wood for them. The pointed bill makes an excellent chisel, and the skull is strengthened to withstand repeated hammering. Woodpeckers also have long tongues that can extract insects from the holes drilled in the wood.

With the exception of ground woodpeckers that burrow in the ground, woodpeckers drill holes in trees for their nesting purposes.