Gallery: First winter female Great Spotted Woodpecker

This female Great Spotted Woodpecker D. major was photographed on the 2nd January, 2011, in Zihlschlacht, Switzerland by Robin Allenbach. Note that the post-auricular stripe does not quite touch the black nape. This is a feature of Syrian Woodpecker D. syriacus, however first winter Great Spotted also often has this unbroken line. The white outer-tail feathers and deep red ventral area clearly indicate that this bird is indeed a Great Spotted Woodpecker.