n. (Zool.) A small black and white ladder-backed woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) of Central and Eastern U. S. and Canada. It strongly resembles the hairy woodpecker, but is smaller (6 1/2"), compared with about 9-1/2" for the hairy. It is common in suburban backyards. [ PJC ]

n. (Zool.) The European garden warbler (Sylvia hortensis or Currica, hortensis); -- called also beccafico and greater pettychaps. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The nuthatch. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) An African bird of the genus Buphaga; the beefeater. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, pecks; specif., a bird that pecks holes in trees; a woodpecker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An instrument for pecking; a pick. Garth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The penis; -- an obscene term for the male sexual organ. [ Vulgar ]
Syn. -- penis, cock, prick, tool, peter, dick, shaft [ all but the first considered obscene ]. [ PJC ]

Flower pecker. (Zool.) See under Flower. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of scansorial birds belonging to Picus and many allied genera of the family Picidae. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ These birds have the tail feathers pointed and rigid at the tip to aid in climbing, and a strong chisellike bill with which they are able to drill holes in the bark and wood of trees in search of insect larvae upon which most of the species feed. A few species feed partly upon the sap of trees (see Sap sucker, under Sap), others spend a portion of their time on the ground in search of ants and other insects. [ 1913 Webster ] The most common European species are the greater spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus major), the lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus minor), and the green woodpecker, or yaffle (see Yaffle). [ 1913 Webster ] The best-known American species are the pileated woodpecker (see under Pileated), the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), which is one of the largest known species, the red-headed woodpecker, or red-head (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), the red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes Carolinus) (see Chab), the superciliary woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris), the hairy woodpecker (Dryobates villosus), the downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens), the three-toed, woodpecker (Picoides Americanus), the golden-winged woodpecker (see Flicker), and the sap suckers. See also Carpintero. [ 1913 Webster ]

Woodpecker hornbill (Zool.), a black and white Asiatic hornbill (Buceros pica) which resembles a woodpecker in color. [ 1913 Webster ]