Dryobates minor
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Mass
~20 g
Habitat
Forests
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is a restless, easy-to-miss woodpecker that spends much of its time high in tree crowns and on thin branches. It rarely lingers in one place for long, moving on in quick, lively hops.
It is usually quiet when incubating, but otherwise rather vocal. More often than not, you notice it by its repeated "keek" and by a low, crackling drum rather than by sight.
Look for it in damp deciduous and mixed woods, along river valleys, in marshy patches, and in older parks with mature trees. It feeds mainly on small insects, and in winter it searches for larvae under bark; in many areas it stays year-round.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is a restless, easy-to-miss woodpecker that spends much of its time high in tree crowns and on thin branches. It rarely lingers in one place for long, moving on in quick, lively hops.
It is usually quiet when incubating, but otherwise rather vocal. More often than not, you notice it by its repeated "keek" and by a low, crackling drum rather than by sight.
Look for it in damp deciduous and mixed woods, along river valleys, in marshy patches, and in older parks with mature trees. It feeds mainly on small insects, and in winter it searches for larvae under bark; in many areas it stays year-round.
