The
woodpeckers are part of the
Picidae family, a group of
near-passerine birds that also consist of
piculets,
wrynecks, and
sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for
Australia,
New Guinea,
New Zealand,
Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in
forests or
woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in treeless areas, such as rocky hillsides and deserts.