Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

📌 Overview

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker found across Europe and parts of Asia. It is well-known for its distinctive black and white plumage, loud drumming on trees, and characteristic undulating flight. It is one of the most commonly seen woodpeckers in its range.

🔍 Identification

• Size: About 23–26 cm long (9–10 in), wingspan 38–44 cm.
• Weight: 70–100 g.
• Plumage:
  • Black and white back, wings, and tail.
  • White underparts.
  • Red vent (under the tail).
  • Males have a red patch on the back of the head.
  • Juveniles often have a red crown.

🌍 Distribution & Habitat

• Range: Widely distributed across Europe and northern Asia. Absent from Ireland, parts of southern Spain, and extreme northern Scandinavia.
• Habitat: Prefers deciduous and mixed forests, parks, orchards, and gardens with mature trees.

🍽️ Diet

• Omnivorous:
  • Insects and larvae (especially beetles).
  • Seeds and nuts (particularly in winter).
  • Tree sap and berries.
  • Occasionally takes eggs and nestlings of other birds.

🪺 Breeding

• Breeding Season: April to June.
• Nest: Excavated in dead or decaying trees.
• Clutch: 4–7 eggs.
• Incubation: About 10–13 days.
• Fledging: Chicks leave the nest after 3 weeks.

🗣️ Calls and Drumming

• Call: Sharp “kick” or “chip” sound.
• Drumming: Rapid pecking on wood used to establish territory and attract mates, especially in spring.

📊 Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
• Population Trend: Increasing in many areas due to reforestation and adaptation to parks and gardens.

🧠 Interesting Facts

• The Great Spotted Woodpecker has a specially adapted skull that protects its brain from repeated impacts during drumming.
• It can extract insects from under bark using its long, sticky tongue.
• Plays an important ecological role by creating nest holes that other species use later.

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