The Order Piciformes is a group of primarily arboreal birds that includes woodpeckers, toucans, barbets, and honeyguides. These birds are characterized by strong, chisel-like bills adapted for drilling into wood or foraging for fruit and insects, and zygodactyl feet (two toes forward, two backward) that help them grasp branches and tree trunks. Many species have stiff tail feathers that provide support while climbing vertical surfaces. Piciformes are found worldwide, mostly in tropical and subtropical forests, and play important ecological roles as insect controllers, seed dispersers, and in some cases, as cavity nesters that create habitats for other species.