Woodpecker | Book Talk

Register to attend here

Woodpeckers are one of the most remarkable species found in the avian world. They have evolved in ways that make them ecologically critical to forest health, serving as keystone species in a variety of wooded habitats across North America. Their activities support myriad other creatures, making them catalysts for diversity in the places they inhabit. Woodpeckers are, in many ways, the heartbeat of the forest.

Informed by his personal experiences in the field as well as extensive research, award-winning author and photographer Paul Bannick delves into the natural and cultural history of woodpeckers from the boreal forest of northern Canada to oak woodlands and conifer ecosystems in the United States to the wet tropical forests of Mexico and the Caribbean. He captures woodpeckers’ charismatic behavior as well as their colorful displays and sensitive habitats in astonishing and never-before-seen images. Through his photos, along with accessible, science-based text, Bannick explores their courtship and nest selection processes in spring; life in the nest during summer; fledging and gaining independence in autumn; and the challenges of winter survival. He compares and contrasts typical behavior and anomalies among the 41 woodpecker species found in North America, and shares their conservation outlook for the future. This robust and comprehensive natural history of woodpeckers features an emphasis on family groups and behaviors that relate to ecology and habitat preservation.

PAUL BANNICK is the award-winning photographer and author of four previous books, Snowy Owl: A Visual History, Great Gray Owl: A Visual History, The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds (finalist for the Washington State Book Award), and Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls (gold medal recipient of an Independent Publishers Book Award). Based in Seattle, Paul travels all over the world to capture wildlife images that encourage conservation. Learn more at www.paulbannick.com.