A comprehensive, profusely illustrated natural history of all 28 North American species of woodpeckers. The distinctive behavior and sound of woodpeckers make them easy to hear and interesting to watch. Woodpeckers of North America specifically covers all species of woodpeckers found in the United States, Canada and northern Mexico. Woodpeckers are renowned for their cavity-excavating abilities. Although trees and telephone poles are the choice of most woodpeckers, desert dwellers frequently excavate nests in cacti. While all eat insects, many drink tree sap, eat acorns, and consume other surprising foods. Woodpeckers are distinguished by several anatomical features, including: short legs and long toes to assist in climbing a head built to withstand repeated hammering a long, straight bill designed for chopping wood a long tongue with a barbed end to extract hidden prey nostrils covered with feathers to keep them free of wood debris. 100 color photographs capture the intriguing woodpeckers in their natural environments. Woodpeckers of North America is a handy, well-written reference covering the biology and environment of these fascinating birds.