Get Steve’s Book!

Introducing the Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America by Stephen Shunk. From the iconic Woody Woodpecker to the ubiquitous Northern Flicker, woodpeckers have long captivated our attention. Their astonishing anatomy makes them one of the most specialized bird families in the world, and their keystone ecological roles in our forests and woodlands makes them some of the most important birds in North America.

Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. Sponsored by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the National Wildlife Federation.
This 300-page book includes chapters on  the anatomy, behavior, ecology and conservation of the 23 species of North American woodpeckers, and provides detailed species accounts for each one.  An extensive appendix includes information on the woodpecker family tree, and human-woodpecker interactions.

Each species account includes information on distribution, breeding range, seasonal movements, winter range, breeding range, detection, vocal and nonvocal sounds, visual identification, plumages and molt, distinctive characteristics, similar species, geographic variation, subspecies, hybridization, breeding and non breeding behavior, courtship, parenting, dispersal, foraging, territory defense and sociality,interactions with other species, conservation, habitat threats, population changes, conservation status and management and references. The text is complemented by numerous illustrations and beautiful photography by many of the top photographers in the field.