Note: These birds have the tail feathers pointed and rigid at
the tip to aid in climbing, and a strong chisellike
bill with which they are able to drill holes in the
bark and wood of trees in search of insect larv[ae]
upon which most of the species feed. A few species feed
partly upon the sap of trees (see {Sap sucker}, under
{Sap}), others spend a portion of their time on the
ground in search of ants and other insects. The most
common European species are the greater spotted
woodpecker ({Dendrocopus major}), the lesser spotted
woodpecker ({D. minor}), and the green woodpecker, or
yaffle (see {Yaffle}). The best-known American species
are the pileated woodpecker (see under {Pileated}), the
ivory-billed woodpecker ({Campephilus principalis}),
which is one of the largest known species, the
red-headed woodpecker, or red-head ({Melanerpes
erythrocephalus}), the red-bellied woodpecker ({M.
Carolinus}) (see {Chab}), the superciliary woodpecker
({M. superciliaris}), the hairy woodpecker ({Dryobates
villosus}), the downy woodpecker ({D. pubescens}), the
three-toed, woodpecker ({Picoides Americanus}), the
golden-winged woodpecker (see {Flicker}), and the sap
suckers. See also {Carpintero}.
{Woodpecker hornbill} (Zo["o]l.), a black and white Asiatic
hornbill ({Buceros pica}) which resembles a woodpecker in
color.