Birds
Three-toed Woodpecker
Picoides tridactylus · also called three-toed woodpeckers
Stripping bark from a dying conifer with a grip built on just three toes instead of the usual four, a three-toed woodpecker exposes the beetle larvae hidden underneath, a specialised feeding technique found across northern forests on three continents.
Overview
The three-toed woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus, is a bark-stripping specialist native to coniferous forest habitat across the far northern reaches of North America, Europe, and Asia. Its unusual three-toed foot structure unlike most other birds, specialised bark beetle diet, and habit of stripping bark rather than simply drilling make it one of the most anatomically and behaviourally distinctive woodpeckers found anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
A foot built for gripping, not counting
Losing a toe might seem like a disadvantage, but the three-toed woodpecker’s unusual foot structure actually helps it grip tightly onto tree trunks while stripping away bark, a specialised adaptation suited perfectly to its bark beetle diet.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread across suitable coniferous forest habitat throughout the far north of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Three-toed Woodpecker: common questions
Why does the three-toed woodpecker have only three toes?
This species has only three toes on each foot rather than the four found on most birds, an adaptation that helps it grip tightly onto tree trunks while stripping bark in search of beetle larvae.
What does the three-toed woodpecker eat?
This species specialises in feeding on bark beetle larvae, often becoming especially abundant in forest areas experiencing beetle outbreaks in dead or dying conifer trees.
How does the three-toed woodpecker find its food?
This species strips bark away from dead conifers to expose the beetle larvae feeding underneath, a distinctive foraging technique different from the simple drilling used by many other woodpeckers.
Where is the three-toed woodpecker found?
This species is found across northern coniferous forest spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, making it one of the more widely distributed woodpeckers adapted to cold northern climates.