In the evolutionary timeline, when did the wryneck lineage appear to separate from the main group of excavating woodpeckers?
Before the full specialization of the robust bill and drumming behavior became fixed
Considering the evolutionary history of the Picidae family, the divergence of the wryneck lineage occurred at a relatively early stage when compared to the more specialized members. The evidence suggests that the separation happened prior to the establishment and standardization of the highly robust bill structure and the loud drumming behavior seen in many extant woodpeckers. This early separation implies that the ancestral woodpecker population from which the wryneck arose maintained a more generalized foraging and shelter-seeking strategy. The wryneck lineage retained elements of this ancestral generalized state, while other branches underwent strong selective pressure favoring the specialized skills of deep wood excavation and associated territorial signaling through drumming.
