The Woodpecker—A Fascinating Bird in Your Backyard

Professional naturalist and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela is fascinated by woodpeckers, and for 10 years he traveled the country, studying and photographing various woodpecker species. There are many unusual birds in the world, but there is one group of highly specialized birds that I find incredibly interesting—the woodpeckers. Woodpeckers are found in a wide variety of habitats, from jungles to thick forests to parched deserts, and even in some grasslands. They are the carpenters of the bird world, creating nest cavities in trees each year—an important task because many cavity-nesting birds can’t excavate their own and depend on the handiwork of woodpeckers for their survival. In addition, woodpeckers eat countless tons of insects, greatly minimizing pest damage to forests. Woodpeckers have unique shapes, making them easily recognizable by any and all who see them. Their special features and behaviors have captured my attention as a naturalist and wildlife photographer for more than 20 years. Woodpeckers are found all around the world, except in New Guinea, Antarctica,...