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Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) — photo 1 of 5
© Плешков Алексей CC BY-SA 3.0

Woodpeckers

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Year-round

Voice

Alarm

Jochem verweij

0:05

Call

Alexander Kürthy

0:21

Call

Olivier Grimm

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How to recognize it

  • Medium-sized black-and-white woodpecker; large white shoulder patch

  • Red lower belly and undertail; male with red nape patch

  • White cheek with a black moustachial stripe reaching the nape

  • Sharp “kik”, very fast short drumming on dead wood

About the species

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a noisy, active tree-climber. In towns, it is easiest to notice by its bold black-and-white look and the red patch under the tail, with the male also showing a red mark on the back of the head.

It spends most of its time on trunks, moving upward in quick steps and bracing itself with a stiff tail. Its presence is often betrayed by a sharp call and short bursts of drumming on dry branches or trunks, heard in any season.

It uses all kinds of woodland, as well as older parks and gardens with large trees. In summer it takes insects and larvae; in autumn and winter it switches to seeds, nuts, and acorns, and in many places stays year-round.

Did you know?

  • Raids tree sparrow nests

    The great spotted woodpecker is also a nest predator — it raids tree sparrow broods alongside little owls, weasels, stoats and martens.

  • Irrupts with the crossbills

    The great spotted woodpecker is an irruptive migrant tied to spruce — it emigrates in the same poor-cone years as the common crossbill, since both depend heavily on spruce seeds.

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Sources