Data analysis on extinct and living Picidae in Sicily and Calabria (Southern Italy).

Some species of animals related to forest habitats have disappeared or greatly decreased in thefirst half of the last century. However, during the second half of the last century the forest areas haveincreased and many forests have been protected. This produced conditions for a re-colonization orreintroduction of extinct forest animal species. The present study is a complete overview of recordsof extinct and still living Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, European green Woodpecker Picusviridis, Middle spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius and Lesser spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoposminor in Sicily and Calabria (Southern Italy). This study was carried out to show that thesewoodpeckers, or at least some of them, may have existed in Sicily and are possible candidate for reintroductionprojects in the island. This explains the reasons of a historical and contemporary surveyon the presence of the above mentioned species in Calabria, that could be the place where thesebirds could be recovered for possible reintroduction projects in Sicily.