Dendrocopos leucotos
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Mass
~120 g
Habitat
Forests
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The White-backed Woodpecker looks sturdy and long-necked, with a more drawn-out bill than the similar Great Spotted Woodpecker. The easiest thing to remember is the pale lower back and the soft pink area under the tail.
It keeps to itself and is easy to miss, but it does not avoid people. Its voice is not heard often, yet its drumming is loud and sustained, while the usual calls are softer and lower than those of a close relative.
It needs old deciduous or mixed woods with plenty of dead trees. It feeds mainly on insect larvae under bark and in decaying wood, then adds berries, nuts, acorns, and seeds later in the season. In many places it stays year-round, though it may make short movements in autumn and winter.
Quick Facts
The White-backed Woodpecker looks sturdy and long-necked, with a more drawn-out bill than the similar Great Spotted Woodpecker. The easiest thing to remember is the pale lower back and the soft pink area under the tail.
It keeps to itself and is easy to miss, but it does not avoid people. Its voice is not heard often, yet its drumming is loud and sustained, while the usual calls are softer and lower than those of a close relative.
It needs old deciduous or mixed woods with plenty of dead trees. It feeds mainly on insect larvae under bark and in decaying wood, then adds berries, nuts, acorns, and seeds later in the season. In many places it stays year-round, though it may make short movements in autumn and winter.
