In the first video of 'Exceptional Woodpeckers', it is mentioned that a couple of groups of woodpeckers have lost the small hind toe and have only 3 toes. And a 'Black-rumped flameback' is shown as an example. I investigated few images of this bird and could see only 3 toes. But during online search I could not find this specific characteristic of this bird written explicitly.  Can someone share link to the article / paper mentioning this. Also, I am curious to know which all groups / species of woodpeckers have got only 3 toes.   Thank you !

I found the mimicry across the world interesting, especially since scientist don't fully know why. I guess just sometimes copying someone bigger or more aggressive works :)

Can't stop chuckling about the acorn woodpecker. I have downys, hairys, pileateds, and red bellied woodpeckers at my house, and once in a while a red headed one, too. Plus I have northern flickers. But now I wish I lived on the west coast and could see the acorn woodpeckers' granaries. What an odd bird!

Fun!  

It was so fun to learn about how many different woodpeckers there are across the world, and how different and varied they can look from each other. I was familiar with how similar downy and hairy woodpeckers look, so it was intriguing to learn that there are plenty more instances of almost identical-looking yet not closely related pairs of woodpecker species across the globe. I loved learning about the Acorn Woodpecker and their unique behavior too, makes me want to travel and see some in-person and watch them maintain their granaries!

Wow! So many beautiful woodpeckers. Here, where I live, we are privileged to have 6 different species of woodpecker, hairy, downy, red-bellied, northern flicker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, and pleated. I consider myself very lucky.

I was surprised by the different behaviors of some woodpeckers. I had never heard of woodpeckers that live on rocks. Here in Brazil I have some favorite woodpecker species. In April/2028 I went to a place called "Trilha dos Tucanos" in Tapiraí (São Paulo State, Brazil) specially to see in person and photograph this beautiful woodpecker called Benedito-de-testa-amarela (Melanerpes flavifrons) that lives in flocks in the Atlantic Forest, they enchanted me.

I had no idea that there were such colourful woodpeckers around the world and that some did not have any red at all! The Piculet is also a type that I have never heard of before and I was sad t0 hear that there are some extinct woodpeckers. I did more research after to find out more about them, since I found the species very intriguing.

I didn't know that a piculet was the smallest "true woodpecker"

I didn't realize how many species there are and how different they can look. Related-looking ones not being related was a surprise. And I hadn't really thought of how unusual it is that they can drill into new wood.

the graneries of the acorn woodpecker

I had never heard of piculets or wrynecks and it was amazing to see what they look like and a little bit of how they live.

Just how colorful they can be. I thought woodpeckers were all black and white with a red crown.

They can look so similar, but not be related.

This is the first course I've taken, and already I am sure it will not be my last.  Very informative and well worthwhile.

The social dynamics of the acorn woodpecker was so interesting, especially as the mating females are often sisters and the males are a coalition of brother.

That the look-alike's are generally not closely related - that was fascinating.

We have many hairy and downy woodpeckers. I was surprised to find that they are completely unrelated.

The vast variety of woodpeckers. So many different colors and traits. It's amazing.

I live in Southern California, in north San Diego county. I have a wonderful group of Acorn Woodpeckers living in my yard. I have  several tall Liquid amber trees that have large dead branches at their tops. Over the years, the woodpeckers have made perfectly round holes in these high branches, and I can observe them going in and out of the holes. Of course, they have also made granary trees out of these Liquid amber trees, as well as in a nearby tall palm tree, and they are starting on some of my larger olive trees. Another species that comes to my bird feeders is the Nuttall's Woodpecker - there is a pair who especially enjoy the suet feeder. I absolutely love watching and listening to my woodpeckers at any time of day - they rock! :-)

Beautiful photos of these incredible birds!  What in interesting group and such beautiful plumage.

I knew there were a variety of brightly colored woodpeckers around the world, I did not know there were little woodpeckers with what I'll call stealthy owl plumage, very cool!

Have The granary’s at Hastings been destroyed by the fires?

The sheer diversity in size, shape, color, behavior...incredible! And I was surprised to learn about the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker's migration route.