The earliest fossil record of a modern-type piciform bird from the late Oligocene of Germany

Presented here is a record of a piciform bird from a late Oligocene fissure filling from Germany. This is the earliest known fossil record of a modern -type piciform bird and the only one from deposits earlier than Miocene. Th e specimen, an isolated tarsometatarsus, is similar in size and proportions to the tarsometatarsus of the recent Cardinal-Woodpecker (Dendropicos fusc escens, Picidae). However, owing to its fragmented state a reliable assignm ent to any of the recent piciform families is not possible.