This order comprises the following families:

• Rhamphastidae (toucans)
• Semnornithidae (Pring-billed Barbet & Toucan Barbet)
• Capitonidae (American barbets)
• Megalaimidae (Asian barbets)
• Lybiidae (African barbets & tinkerbirds)
• Indicatoridae (honeyguides)
• Picidae (woodpeckers)
• Bucconidae (puffbirds)
• Galbulidae (jacamars)

Phylogeny of extant Picidae combining the results of Dufort (2016), Shakya et al. (2017) and Navarro-Siguenza et al. (2017). The distribution of each family is indicated by the colour-code used throughout this website (Distribution code).

Genus-level classification of extant Picidae. 

References

Benz BW, Robbins MB, and Peterson AT (2006), Evolutionary history of woodpeckers and allies (Aves: Picidae): placing key taxa on the phylogenetic tree, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 40, 389-399. (abstract)

Benz BW, and Robbins MB (2011), Molecular phylogenetics, vocalizations, and species limits in Celeus woodpeckers (Aves: Picidae), Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 61, 29-44. (abstract)

Benz BW, Robbins MB, and Zimmer KJ (2015), Phylogenetic relationships of the Helmeted Woodpecker (Dryocopus galeatus): a case of interspecific mimicry?, Auk 132, 938-950. (free pdf)

Bi D, Ding H, Wang Q, Jiang L, Lu W, Wu X, Zhu R, Zeng J, Zhou S, Yang X, and Kan X (2019), Two new mitogenomes of Picidae (Aves, Piciformes): sequence, structure and phylogenetic analyses, Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 133, 683-692. (abstract)

Carlson ML, and Stoddard MC (2023), Evolution of plumage patterns in a pattern morphospace: a phylogenetic analysis of melanerpine woodpeckers, Am. Nat. 203, (pdf)

den Tex RJ, and Leonard JA (2013), A molecular phylogeny of Asian barbets: speciation and extiction in the tropics, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 68, 1-13. (abstract)

Du C, Liu L, Liu Y, and Fu Z (2020), The complete mitochondrial genome of the Eurasian wryneck Jynx torquilla (Aves: Piciformes: Picidae) and its  phylogenetic inference, Zootaxa 4810, 351-360. (abstract)

Dufort MJ (2016), An augmented supermatrix phylogeny of the avian family Picidae reveals uncertainty deep in the family tree, Mol. Phylogent. Evol. 94, 313-326. (abstract)

Ericson PGP, Anderson CL, Britton T, Elzanowski A, Johansson US, Källersjö M, Ohlson JI, Parsons TJ, Zuccon D, and Mayr G (2006), Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils. Biol. Lett. 2, 543-547. (abstract)

Ferreira M (2018), "Filogenia e biogeografia de tres famílias de aves do Neotrópico", Ph.D. dissertation, INPA Manaus. (pdf)

Ferreira M, Aleixo A, Ribas CC, and Santos MPD (2017), Biogeography of the Neotropical genus Malacoptila (Aves: Bucconidae): the influence of the Andean orogeny, Amazonian drainage evolution and palaeoclimate, J. Biogeogr. 44, 748-759. (abstract)

Fuchs J, and Pons JM (2015), A new classification of the Pied Woodpeckers assemblage (Dendropicini, Picidae) based on a comprehensive multi-locus phylogeny, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 88, 28-37. (abstract)

Fuchs J, Pons JM, and Bowie RCK (2017), Biogeography and diversification dynamics of the African woodpeckers, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 108, 88-100. (abstract)

Johansson US, and Ericson PGP (2003), Molecular support for a sister group relationship between Pici and Galbulae (Piciformes sensu Wetmore 1960), J. Avian Biol. 34, 185-197. (free reading)

Kirwan GM, and Collar NJ (2020), Picus rafflesii Vigors, 1830, re-assigned to Chloropicoides Malherbe, 1849, Bull. Br. Ornithol. Club 140, 147-150. (free pdf)

Kuhl H, Frankl-Vilches C, Bakker A, Mayr G, Nikolaus G, Boerno ST, Klages S, Timmermann B, and Gahr M (2021), An unbiased molecular approach using 3'UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life, Mol. Biol. Evol. 38, 108-127. (free pdf)

Lutz HL, Weckstein JD, Patané JSL, Bates JM, and Aleixo A (2013), Biogeography and spatio-temporal diversification of Selenidera and Andigena Toucans (Aves: Ramphastidae), Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 69, 873-883. (abstract)

Moyle RG (2004), Phylogenetics of barbets (Aves: Piciformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 30, 187-200. (abstract)

Navarro-Sigüenza AG, Vázquez-Miranda H, Hernández-Alonso G, García-Trejo EA, and Sánchez-González LA (2017), Complex biogeographic scenarios revealed in the diversification of the largest woodpecker radiation in the New World, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 112, 53-67. (abstract)

Olson SL (1972), The generic distinction of the Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Chryserpes striatus (Aves: Picidae), Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 85, 499-508. (free pdf)

Ostrow EN, Catanach TA, Bates JM, Aleixo A, and Weckstein JD (2023), Phylogenomic analysis confirms the relationships among toucans, toucan-barbets, and New World barbets but reveals paraphyly of Selenidera toucanets and evidence for mitonuclear discordance, Ornithology 140, e:ukad022. (free pdf)

Patané JSL, Weinstein JD, Aleixo A, and Bates JM (2009), Evolutionary history of Ramphastos toucans: molecular phylogenetics, temporal diversification, and biogeography, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 53, 923-934. (free reading)

Sangster G, Gaudin J, and and Fuchs J (2022), A new subfamily taxon for Sasia and Verreauxia (Picidae), Bull. Brit. Ornithol. Club 142, 478-479. (pdf)

Sangster G, Gregory SMS, and Dickinson EC (2023), The correct authorship of the family-group name Nesoctitini (Picidae), Avian Syst. 2, 1-3. (pdf)

Shakya SB, Fuchs J, Pons JM, and Sheldon FH (2017), Tapping the woodpecker tree for evolutionary insight, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 116, 182-191. (abstract)

Tamashiro RA, White NE, Braun MJ, Faircloth BC, Braun EL, and Kimball RE (2019), What are the roles of taxon sampling and model fit in tests of cyto-nuclear discordance using avian mitogenomic data?, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 130, 132-144. (abstract)

Webb DM, and Moore (2005), A phylogenetic analysis of woodpeckers and their allies using 12S, Cyt b, and COI nucleotide sequences (class Aves; order Piciformes), Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 36, 233-248. (abstract)

Witt CC (2004), “Rates of molecular evolution and their application to neotropical avian biogeography”, Ph.D. dissertation, Louisiana State University. (free pdf)