Best Dryobates

Endemic to the southeastern United States, this endangered bird is uniquely adapted to excavating its nesting cavities exclusively within the living wood of mature longleaf pine trees.

Officially the smallest woodpecker species native to North America, this common bird is a frequent visitor to backyard bird feeders and thrives across the United States and Canada.

Resembling the smaller Downy Woodpecker but significantly larger in size, this widespread North American species is a crucial predator of the invasive emerald ash borer beetle.

Named after the English botanist Thomas Nuttall, this distinctly black-and-white striped bird is almost entirely endemic to the oak woodlands of California and northern Baja California.

Predominantly found in the arid deserts and brushlands of the American Southwest and Mexico, this small species is recognized by the distinct black-and-white ladder pattern on its back.

Found in the pine-oak woodlands of southern Arizona and New Mexico, this regional bird is unique among American woodpeckers for its entirely brown and white coloration.

First cataloged by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is a widespread European bird species notable for being the smallest member of the woodpecker family in Europe.

Native to Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, the Checkered Woodpecker is a small Picidae species notable for its distinctive black-and-white checkered back and preference for dry forests.

Native only to the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, the Sulu Woodpecker is a highly specialized forest bird notable for currently holding an Endangered conservation status by the IUCN.

Endemic to the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina, the Striped Woodpecker is a small, distinctive bird species uniquely adapted to foraging on the trunks of southern beech trees.

Described by August von Pelzeln in 1866, the White-spotted Woodpecker is a non-migratory bird species native to the subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests of South America.

Originally described by René Primevère Lesson in 1831, the Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker is a notable bird species residing in the tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests of India.

Endemic exclusively to the Philippine archipelago, the Philippine Woodpecker is a notable avian species first described by the Italian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1786.

Endemic to the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali, the Freckle-breasted Woodpecker is a distinctive bird species notable for the characteristic speckled plumage across its underparts.

Ranging from Mexico to Central America, this small bird is uniquely characterized by its entirely dark, smoky-brown plumage and distinct preference for foraging on decaying tree trunks.

Described by English naturalist John Latham in 1801, the Brown-capped Woodpecker is a widespread species recognized by the distinct brown patch on its crown across the Indian subcontinent.

First classified by English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1842, the Grey-capped Woodpecker is a small species notable for inhabiting a vast range across South and Southeast Asian forests.

Widely distributed across the Amazon Basin and northern South America, this diminutive species holds the distinction of being the smallest known woodpecker species on the continent.

The Dot-fronted Woodpecker is a South American bird species described by Alcide d'Orbigny and Frédéric de Lafresnaye in 1837, notable for inhabiting the humid Andean forests.