Picidae
キツツキ科
ki-tsutsuki ka

General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Species list may not be current. Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

Woodpeckers are commonly known in Japanese as キツツキ ki-tsutsuki 'tree-peckers' / 'wood-peckers' (ki = 'tree' or 'wood', tsutsuku = 'to peck'). This would logically be written 木啄, and indeed this is how it is written in the haiku of the great poet Basho in the 17th century, but present-day Japanese writes ki-tsutsuki with the Chinese name, 啄木鳥, which would in the normal course of things be more likely to be read takuboku-chō.

Scientifically, the word キツツキ ki-tsutsuki is used only in the family name キツツキ科 ki-tsutsuki ka (Picidae) and the common name of Picumnus innominatus (Speckled Piculet).

For most woodpeckers, the literary term ケラ kera (or -gera in combination) is used to form the common name. In Chinese characters, ケラ kera and キツツキ ki-tsutsuki are written exactly the same, i.e., with the Chinese name 啄木鳥.

The White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis is known as the キタタキ (木啄) ki-tataki 'tree/wood tapper'.

The Wryneck is known as the アリスイ ari-sui or 'ant-sucker'.

Other names for the woodpeckers include:

テラツツキ tera-tsutsuki 'temple-pecker', written 寺啄 in characters.

タクボク takuboku 'wood-pecker' (Chinese name), written 啄木.

In Japanese haiku, the woodpeckers are a season word for autumn. They are referred to as ki-tsutsuki 'tree/wood pecker' (啄木鳥 or 木突), kera-tsutsuki 'woodpecker pecker' (けら突き), kera (けら), or ki-tataki 'tree/wood tapper' (木たたき).

Species names

JYNGINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		JAPANESE		CHINESE			KOREAN
Jynx
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Jynx torquilla	Northern wryneck or Eurasian wryneck Torcol fourmilier Wendehals Вертишейка	アリスイ (蟻吸) ari-sui 'ant-sucker'		蚁䴕 (蟻鴷) yǐ liè 'ant woodpecker'	(地啄木) 地啄木 dì zhuó-mù 'ground wood-pecker' (31)	蛇皮鸟 (蛇皮鳥) shé-pí niǎo 'snake skin bird' (northern) (FS) 树皮鸟 (樹皮鳥) shù-pí niǎo 'tree-bark bird' (FS) 蛇头鸟 (蛇頭鳥) shé-tóu niǎo 'snake-headed bird' 歪脖 (歪脖) wāi-bó 'crooked neck' (FS) 歪脖鸟 (歪脖鳥) wāi-bó niǎo 'crooked-necked bird' 地啄必鸟 (地啄必鳥) dì-zhuó-bì niǎo 'ground pecking bird' (southern) (FS) 鸫颈 (鶇頸) dōng-jǐng 'thrush neck' (dict) (FS) 鸫鹞 (鶇鷂) dōng-yàos 'thrush sparrowhawk' (FS)	개미잡이 gaemijabi 'ant jabi?'
PICINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		JAPANESE		CHINESE			KOREAN
PICINI
Picus
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Picus awokera	Japanese woodpecker Wavy-bellied woodpecker Japanese green woodpecker Pic awokéra Japangrünspecht Японский зелёный дятел	アオゲラ (青啄木鳥) ao-gera 'blue/green woodpecker'		日本绿啄木鸟 (日本綠啄木鳥) rìběn lǜ-zhuó-mù-niǎo 'Japanese green wood-pecking bird'
Picus canus	Grey-headed woodpecker Grey-faced woodpecker Black-naped green woodpecker Pic cendré Grauspecht Седой дятел	ヤマゲラ (山啄木鳥) yama-gera 'mountain woodpecker'		灰头绿啄木鸟 (灰頭綠啄木鳥) huī-tóu lǜ-zhuómù-niǎo 'grey-headed green wood-pecking bird' (1, 2, 3, 4) 灰头啄木鸟 (灰頭啄木鳥) huī-tóu zhuó-mù-niǎo 'grey-headed wood-pecking bird' (5)	(绿啄木) 綠啄木 lǜ zhuó-mù 'green wood-pecker'	黑枕绿啄木鸟 (黑枕綠啄木鳥) hēi-zhěn lǜ-zhuómù-niǎo 'black-naped green wood-pecking bird' (6, 7) 绿锛得木 (綠錛得木) lǜ bēn-dér-mù 'green adze-get-tree' (dialect) 绿喷打木 (綠噴打木) lǜ pēn-dǎ-mù 'green jet-strike-wood' (dialect) 香喷打木 (香噴打木) xiāng pēn-dǎ-mù 'fragrant jet-strike-wood' (northern) (FS) 黄啄木 (黄啄木) huáng zhuó-mù 'yellow wood-pecker' (southern) (FS) 山啄木 (山啄木) shān zhuó-mù 'mountain wood-pecker' (FS) 火老鸦 (火老鴉) huǒ lǎo-yā 'fire crow' (Materia Medica) (FS) 山䴕 (山鴷) shān liè 'mountain woodpecker' 山裂 (山裂) shān liè 'mountain cut-into-bits' (dict) (FS)	청딱다구리 cheong-ttakdaguri 'green woodpecker'
Dryocopus
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Dryocopus javensis	White-bellied woodpecker White-bellied black woodpecker Pic à ventre blanc Weißbauchspecht	キタタキ (木啄) ki-tataki 'tree/wood tapper' (probably extinct)		白腹黑啄木鸟 (白腹黑啄木鳥) bái-fù hēi zhuó-mù-niǎo 'white-bellied black wood-pecking bird'			크낙새 keun-ak-sae 'large ak bird'
Dryocopus martius	Black woodpecker Pic noir Schwarzspecht Желна	クマゲラ (熊啄木鳥) kuma-gera 'bear woodpecker'		黑啄木鸟 (黑啄木鳥) hēi zhuó-mù-niǎo 'black wood-pecking bird'		山啄木鸟 (山啄木鳥) shān zhuó-mù-niǎo 'mountain wood-pecking bird' (northern) (FS) 大黑打木 (大黑打木) dà-hēi dǎ-mù 'large black strike-wood' (FS)	까막딱다구리 kkamak-ttakdaguri 'black woodpecker'
MELANERPINI
Dendrocopos
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Dendrocopos kizuki Picoides kizuki	Japanese pygmy woodpecker Pygmy woodpecker Japanese spotted woodpecker Pigmy woodpecker Pic kisuki Kizukispecht Карликовый дятел	コゲラ (小啄木鳥) ko-gera 'small woodpecker'		小星头啄木鸟 (小星頭啄木鳥) xiǎo xīng-tóu zhuó-mù-niǎo 'small star-headed wood-pecking bird'		小火点喷打木 (小火點噴打木) xiǎo huǒ-diǎn pēn-dǎ-mù 'small fire-spotted jet-strike-wood' (FS) 帻裂 (幘裂) zé-liè 'conical-capped cut-into-bits' (northern) (FS)	쇠딱다구리 soe-ttakdaguri 'small woodpecker'
Dendrocopos minor Picoides minor	Lesser spotted woodpecker Lesser pied woodpecker Pic épeichette Kleinspecht Малый дятел	コアカゲラ (小赤啄木鳥) ko aka-gera 'small red woodpecker'		小斑啄木鸟 (小斑啄木鳥) xiǎo bān zhuó-mù-niǎo 'small striped wood-pecking bird'			쇠오색딱다구리 soe-o-saek-ttakdaguri 'small five-coloured woodpecker'
Dendrocopos noguchii Sapheopipo noguchii	Okinawan woodpecker Okinawa woodpecker Preyr's Woodpecker Pic d'Okinawa Okinawaspecht	Sappheopipo noguchii: ノグチゲラ (野口啄木鳥) noguchi gera 'Noguchi woodpecker'		冲绳啄木鸟 (沖繩啄木鳥) chōngshéng zhuó-mù-niǎo 'Okinawa wood-pecking bird'
Dendrocopos leucotos Picoides leucotos	White-backed woodpecker Pic à dos blanc Weißrückenspecht Белоспинный дятел	オオアカゲラ (大赤啄木鳥) ō aka-gera 'large red woodpecker'		白背啄木鸟 (白背啄木鳥) bái-bèi zhuó-mù-niǎo 'white-backed wood-pecking bird'	(大赤啄木) 大赤啄木 dà chì zhuó-mù 'large red wood-pecker'		큰오색딱다구리 keun o-saek-ttakdaguri 'large five-coloured woodpecker'
Dendrocopos major Picoides major	Great spotted woodpecker Greater pied woodpecker Pic épeiche Buntspecht Пестрый дятел	アカゲラ (赤啄木鳥) aka-gera 'red woodpecker'		大斑啄木鸟 (大斑啄木鳥) dà bān zhuó-mù-niǎo 'large striped wood-pecking bird'		斑啄木鸟 (斑啄木鳥) bān zhuó-mù-niǎo 'striped wood-pecking bird' (6, 7) 大斑啄木 (大斑啄木) dà bān zhuó-mù 'large striped wood-pecker' 赤䴕 (赤鴷) chì-liè 'red woodpecker' (dict) (FS, 31) 花啄木 (花啄木) huā zhuó-mù 'flowery wood-pecker' (FS) 白花啄必鸟 (白花啄必鳥) bái huā zhuó-bì-niǎo 'white flowery peck-bird' (southern) (FS) 花锛打木 (花錛打木) huā bēn-dǎ-mù 'flowery adze-strike-wood' (dialect) 花锛得儿木 (花錛得兒木) huā bēn-dér-mù 'flowery adze-get-tree' (dialect) 花喷打木 (花噴打木) huā pēn-dǎ-mù 'flowery jet-strike-wood' (northern) (FS) 臭喷打木 (臭噴打木) chòu pēn-dǎ-mù 'smelly jet-strike-wood' (FS) 啄木冠 (啄木冠) zhuó-mù guān 'peck-wood crest' (FS) 叼木冠 (叼木冠) diāo-mù-guān 'hold-in-mouth wood crest' (FS)	오색딱다구리 o-saek-ttakdaguri 'five-coloured woodpecker'
Picoides
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Picoides tridactylus	Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Three-toed Woodpecker Northern three-toed woodpecker Pic tridactyle Dreizehenspecht Дятел трехпалый	ミユビゲラ (三趾啄木鳥) mi-yubi gera 'three-toed woodpecker'	エゾミユビゲラ (蝦夷三趾啄木鳥) ezo mi-yubi gera 'Hokkaido three-toed woodpecker' (old scientific name)	三趾啄木鸟 (三趾啄木鳥) sān-zhǐ zhuó-mù-niǎo 'three-toed wood-pecking bird'		三爪喷打木 (三爪噴打木) sān-zhǎo pēn-dǎ-mù 'three-clawed jet-strike-wood' (northern) (FS)	세가락딱다구리 se-garak-ttakdaguri 'three-toed woodpecker'

The character 裂 liè 'split, shred' may sometimes be found substituted for 鴷 liè 'woodpecker', e.g. in FS.

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全（修订版） 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册（中文版）约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯，合作者：荷芬奇，翻译：卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称（拉丁文、汉文、英文对照）第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

中国鸟类分布名录 第二版 郑作新 科学出版社 北京 1976年
(Checklist of the Classification of Birds of China 2nd edition by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 1976)

香港及華南鳥類（第六版）（翻譯成中文及重新修訂） 尹璉、費嘉倫、林超英 香港性徵特區政府新聞處政府印務局 1994年
Birds of Hong Kong and South China (6th edition, translated into Chinese and newly revised) by Clive Viney, Karen Phillipps, Lin Chaoying, Hong Kong Govt. Press 1994

汉蒙名词术语分类词典（自然科学部分） Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990