woodpecker

wood·peck·er

noun \ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər\

: a bird that has a very hard beak which it uses to make holes in trees to get insects for food

Full Definition of WOODPECKER

:  any of numerous birds (family Picidae) with zygodactyl feet, stiff spiny tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a usually extensible tongue, a very hard bill used to drill the bark or wood of trees for insect food or to excavate nesting cavities, and generally showy parti-colored plumage

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Illustration of WOODPECKER

First Known Use of WOODPECKER

circa 1530

Rhymes with WOODPECKER

back-checker, exchequer, fact-checker, forechecker, oxpecker, Quebecer, spell-checker, three-decker

woodpecker

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of about 180 species (family Picidae) of mostly nonmigratory, solitary birds found nearly worldwide. Woodpeckers spiral up tree trunks, probing for insects, and chisel nest holes in dead wood by means of rapidly repeating blows of the beak. Though they spend their entire life in trees, only the few ground-feeding species can perch. Some species eat fruits and berries or tree sap. Woodpeckers are usually silent, except in spring, when males call loudly and drum on hollow wood. Species range from 6 to 18 in. (15 to 46 cm) long. All have a straight, chisel-like bill, and most are patterned in black, white, or yellow and bright colours. See also flicker; ivory-billed woodpecker; sapsucker.