Woodpeckers are a part of the Picidae family, which is a group of near-passerine birds. They are found all around the globe, except in New Guinea, Madagascar, New Zealand, Australia, and the polar regions. The habitats vary, from forests to deserts and rocky areas. All the species are characterized by strong bills which are used for drilling and drumming on trees. They also have a long tongue, up to 4 inches in length. The long tongues help them in extracting insects from the wood. Their diet varies as per the species, from insects and grubs, fruits and nuts, to sap from trees. The nesting is typically done in tree cavities or holes in cactus. All woodpeckers except the piculets and wrynecks have stiffened tails which help them balance while climbing or feeding. There are over 180 species distributed in different genera. The family also includes the sapsuckers, piculets, and wrynecks. Piculets are one of the smallest woodpeckers, but lack a strong bill and the stiff tail. The same goes with the two species of wrynecks. The wrynecks have only 2 species and are included in the subfamily named Jyngiane and the genus Jynx. The piculets belong to the subfamily Picumninae and are divided in different genera, viz, Picumnus, Verreauxia, Sasia, and Nesoctites. The woodpeckers belong to the subfamily Picinae. They are further divided into different tribes. Have a look at the different species of woodpeckers given below. 1. Tribe: Dendropicini 2. Tribe: Malarpicini 3. Tribe: Picini 4. Tribe: Megapicini The genus name Melanerpes has its origin in Latin and means "black creeper". The members of this genus are all found in the New World. The name "Sphyrapicus" is a combination of Greek words sphura meaning 'hammer' and pikos meaning 'woodpecker'. All birds have slender bodies, stiff tails, and long wings. The birds feed on the sap of trees and the insects are fed to the young ones. They have a typical flight of alternating quick wing beats and short dips. These 4 birds are found in North America. All the members of this genus are found in North America. The members have a similarity which is the plumage of black and white, and brown and white in some species. Also, most of the males have a red or yellow badge. All of them have a chisel-shaped, straight bill which helps them feed on insects, their main diet. Actually, this genus is in need of revision because there is some confusion in the three-toed species like the Eurasian and American three-toed woodpecker. The recent studies say that 6 species of this genus are shifted to a new genus Leuconotopicus. These species are found in Africa and areas nearby. The species of this genus are spread all over Europe, North Africa, and Asia. These are large woodpeckers and have green upperparts. These roam around in forests and open woodlands to feed on insects like ants and termites. There are 5 species in this genus. All of them are distributed in North and South America. All the species were formerly in Dryocopus but were separated later. Also, the species dusky-winged woodpecker and lineated woodpecker were considered as the same because they had the same name Dryocopus lineatus. This is a genus with many species, with different features. All of these species are spread in Central and South America. They prefer to inhabit the tropic and subtropical forests.