woodpecker
noun
wood·peck·er
| \ ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər
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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
Illustration of woodpecker
Examples of woodpecker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Once a month, groups of 20 to 30 students tromp through nearby fields at 7:30 a.m., before class, hoping to spot a woodpecker, oriole or scarlet tanager with binoculars supplied by the Harford Bird Club. — Mike Klingaman, baltimoresun.com, "Harford youngsters’ interest in birding is piqued through programs in the county," 20 Aug. 2019 Birdwatchers can find sought-after species for life lists, including bald eagles, osprey, the pileated woodpecker, waterfowl and songbirds. — Detroit Free Press Staff, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan adds 1,000-acre forest near Au Sable to public lands," 8 Aug. 2019 Birds like woodpeckers, heron, egrets, ibis, coots, ducks and osprey can be found in the park along with alligators, otters and manatees. — Patrick Connolly, orlandosentinel.com, "Florida Springs Guide: De Leon Springs State Park," 10 July 2019 The 16 connected sky bridges are an ideal place to spot all types of wildlife, from woodpeckers to the 1,500 black bears that call the Great Smoky Mountains home. — al.com, "Take a luxury camping trip to the Great Smoky Mountains," 9 July 2019 An in-house forensics team then sought out any sign of wear, corrosion, woodpecker holes or other damage that could increase the risk for wildfires. — Camille Von Kaenel, The Mercury News, "PG&E permanently de-energizes transmission line that sparked Camp Fire," 20 June 2019 For nuthatches and woodpeckers, hang a suet feeder block in a hanging basket. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Create a home for birds, a new world for yourself," 10 June 2019 Acorns are an important food for the woodpeckers, providing food during the winter months when insects are not as plentiful. — Ernie Cowan Outdoors, sandiegouniontribune.com, "One of nature’s hoarders," 7 Apr. 2018 Audubon recommends mixed seeds or black oil sunflower seeds for attracting chickadees and finches and hanging a suet feeder for woodpeckers. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Here's How Birds Stay Warm in the Winter, In Case You Were Wondering," 1 Feb. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'woodpecker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for woodpecker
woodpecker
noun
English Language Learners Definition of woodpecker
: a bird that has a very hard beak which it uses to make holes in trees to get insects for food
See the full definition for woodpecker in the English Language Learners Dictionary
woodpecker
noun
wood·peck·er
| \ ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər
\
\
Kids Definition of woodpecker
: a bird that climbs trees and drills holes in them with its bill in search of insects
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