A resonant hammering from the canopy, a flicker of black and white with a flash of red: surely the archetypal image of a woodpecker? This book describes the natural history of five European species, the so-called pied woodpeckers: Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and White-backed Woodpecker.

These fascinating birds are important ecosystem engineers, shaping the environment by creating cavities in trees where they can raise their young. This ability makes them keystone species, as their holes often go on to become homes for many other animals. Woodpeckers are also umbrella species, as their conservation invariably confers protection on a plethora of other birds, along with mammals and countless invertebrates. They are indicator species, too, for their presence is indicative of the biodiversity and condition of the woodland habitats they frequent. If you walk in a forest and there are no woodpeckers, this is in all likelihood a sign of ecological degradation.

Each species is covered in detail, with information on taxonomy, appearance, moult, calls, drumming, distribution, conservation status, habitats, movements, breeding, diet and relationships with other wildlife and with humans. The text is richly illustrated with stunning photographs as well as sound spectrograms. The author is an acknowledged authority on woodpeckers who supplements his vast field experience with an in-depth review of the literature.