This should be quite easy. But is it ? Which European woodpecker species is it ? And why ? And the sex ?
3 comments:
Simon C
said...
Hi Gerard
Looks like Syrian to me. Seems to lack post auricular stripe connecting to black at back of head. Not sure about sex though. Difficult to tell in this picture.
Simon, that is why i posted it. the bird is far away and obscured. key features cannot be seen clearly, as if often the case in the field. but, sorry, it is not Syrian, it is Great Spotted. look at the undertail coverts and ventral area, very red, not pink. the extent of the post auricular stripe, which many folks concentrate on to separate these two species, is not always clear.
is dedicated to the 10 species of woodpecker (Picidae) that breed in Europe: 9 resident species and the migratory Wryneck. 8 of these 10 also occur outside Europe, with the distribution of Eurasian Three-toed, White-backed, Lesser Spotted, Great Spotted, Black & Grey-headed Woodpeckers stretching eastwards from the Western Palearctic into Asia, whilst Syrian is found in the Middle East & Asia Minor & Wryneck winters in Africa. The global ranges of Green & Middle Spotted Woodpeckers are confined to the Western Palearctic.
I welcome comments, suggestions, photographs, video clips and will credit items used. My aim is to create a non-commercial source for all lovers of the European Picidae. Sincere thanks are due to ALL who have contributed their photos and clips to this blog.
PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE & REFERENCE INFORMATION TAKEN FROM THIS SITE !
Gerard Gorman: gerard@probirder.com
The Black Woodpecker - a monograph on Dryocopus martius
Gerard Gorman is author of this book, published in 2011 by Lynx Edicions
Woodpeckers of Europe - A Study of the European Picidae
Gerard Gorman is author of this handbook, published in 2004 by Bruce Coleman, UK (ISBN 1 872842 05 4)
3 comments:
Hi Gerard
Looks like Syrian to me. Seems to lack post auricular stripe connecting to black at back of head. Not sure about sex though. Difficult to tell in this picture.
Sim
Simon, that is why i posted it. the bird is far away and obscured. key features cannot be seen clearly, as if often the case in the field. but, sorry, it is not Syrian, it is Great Spotted. look at the undertail coverts and ventral area, very red, not pink. the extent of the post auricular stripe, which many folks concentrate on to separate these two species, is not always clear.
Oh well - hopefully I'll do better with the flamebacks!
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