Woodpeckers Of Europe

Quiz woodpecker 47

2012-01-19T11:52:00.001+01:00

Which European woodpecker did this ? OK, fairly easy, but tell what this is exactly ? And why do you think it is that species and not another ?

Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker female

2012-01-12T15:28:00.001+01:00

A very interesting shot of a female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus on the ground out in the open. Taken in Bulgaria by Mladen Vasilev. Check out more of his photos here: Mladen Vasilev Wildlife.

Syrian Woodpecker: Individual Plumage Variation

2011-12-27T11:06:00.002+01:00

This female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus was photographed by Josip Ledinscak in Nasice, Croatia, in December 2011. This species is easily confused with the co-occurring relative Great Spotted Woodpecker D. major and the two will even interbreed. Note that the undertail colour on this bird is rather red, not pink as it should be for a classic Syrian. But I do not believe that this indicates a hybrid. I believe that it is merely individual variation in plumage. However, there is always the chance that birds like this are descendants of ancestors that hybridized generations ago and that mixed features re-appear in subsequent generations, but this cannot be proved in the field. In fact, many Syrians and Great Spotteds show such atypical features in areas where they do not co-occur and thus cannot have hybridized.

Urban Woodpeckers

2011-12-20T21:06:00.002+01:00

Some woodpeckers in Europe can be found in urban habitats. Parks, churchyards and gardens, for example, can provide suitable habitat for some species. Green Woodpecker will visit lawns to feed on ants, Great Spotted Woodpecker readily visits garden bird-feeders and Syrian Woodpecker not only forages but often nests in settlements. However, some other species, such as White-backed Woodpecker, rarely occur away from forests proper. This photo shows a Syrian Woodpecker atop a roadside utility pole in a village in north-east Hungary.

Woodpeckers of Europe Talks in the UK.

2011-12-11T12:15:00.000+01:00

I am giving 3 talks in the UK at RSPB local groups this week. I will be at Liverpool (Dec 12th), Wigan (Dec 13th) and North Staffs, Stoke (Dec 14th). Title of my illustrated lecture is Woodpeckers of Europe. If you are in those areas on those dates then see you there! Gerard Gorman.

Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker male

2011-12-02T18:33:00.001+01:00

Male Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus, Apaj, Hungary, December 2011. Gerard Gorman.

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker female

2011-11-27T13:01:00.000+01:00

Female (note no red on forecrown) Grey-headed (aka Grey-faced) Woodpecker Picus canus. This superb photo taken in the Bukk Hills, Hungary, by Laszlo Nehezy.

Gallery: Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

2011-11-18T08:11:00.001+01:00

Male (note the red crown) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor. This is by far Europe's smallest picid. Photo taken in the Bukk Hills, Hungary, by Laszlo Nehezy.

Gallery: Great Spotted Woodpecker male

2011-11-02T07:18:00.000+01:00

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tata, Hungary, October, 2011.

Quiz woodpecker 46

2011-10-27T20:44:00.000+02:00

Which European woodpecker species is this ?

Gallery: White-backed Woodpecker male

2011-10-23T11:18:00.001+02:00

Male White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos nominate race. This superb shot taken by Thomas Hochebner in Austria.

Black Woodpecker foraging site

2011-10-17T10:53:00.001+02:00

Typical, large, vertical feeding hole of Black Woodpecker, low-down on a beech. Adult man's hand shows the size. Photo by Gerard Gorman taken in the Western Pyrenees, Navarra, Spain.

Gallery: adult male Black Woodpecker

2011-10-09T12:10:00.000+02:00

Adult male Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius at a feeding site. Photo by Mladen Vasilev, Bulgaria.

Sounds: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

2011-10-03T11:12:00.001+02:00

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor: female drumming

Recorded in May 2011 in Estonia by Gerard Gorman.

Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker Close-up

2011-09-29T18:43:00.003+02:00

Close-up of a Syrian Woodpecker. This is the female from the photo in the previous post, though on this shot, at this angle, it is hard to see that.

Gallery: Syrian Woodpeckers

2011-09-23T07:19:00.000+02:00

Three Syrian Woodpeckers. A female, on the left, waits while two males display to each other. September, 2011, Csepel, Budapest, Szabolcs Kokay. Click the photo to enlarge.

Gallery: Black Woodpecker male

2011-09-18T21:19:00.001+02:00

Male Black Woodpecker, Buda Hills, Hungary, September 2011. Gerard Gorman.

Signs: Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

2011-09-12T11:07:00.000+02:00

This dead spruce has been worked by a Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus in search of bark-beetles. The bark has been pecked and also lifted up and off to expose the beetles underneath. This woodpecker often specialises in preying on such beetles (Ips and Polygraphus species) and increases in number locally when the insects are abundant. Photo by Gerard Gorman taken in southern Poland.

Gallery: Green Woodpecker male

2011-09-04T11:02:00.001+02:00

Adult male Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis. Note the red in the malar stripe which females lack. This photo taken by Mladen Vasilev in Bulgaria.

Gallery: Eurasian Wryneck

2011-08-24T13:21:00.001+02:00

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla. This species, one of only two in the Jynx genus, often forages on the ground in search of ants. Photo taken in Bulgaria by Mladen Vasilev.

Black Woodpecker Colour Plate

2011-08-17T08:33:00.003+02:00

Here is a preview of Szabolcs Kokay's colour plate of Black Woodpecker that appears in my book THE BLACK WOODPECKER A monograph on Dryocopus martius. Published by Lynx Edicions. See this website for full details: Black Woodpecker monograph.

Quiz woodpecker 45

2011-08-13T09:09:00.005+02:00

Which species in this ? And sex ? And age ? Photo from Croatia.

Published !

2011-08-08T12:33:00.001+02:00

I'd like to announce that my new book The Black Woodpecker - A monograph on Dryocopus martius is now published. ISBN-13: 978-84-96553-79-8. Published by Lynx Edicions. More details can be found on their website at Black Woodpecker monograph.

Syrian Woodpecker - an urban picid

2011-07-24T11:31:00.001+02:00

Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus. This species is one of Europe's most urban picids and this pose, atop a utility-pole, is typical. Photo taken near Abaujker, Hungary by Gerard Gorman.

Black Woodpecker Book Cover

2011-07-21T10:11:00.003+02:00

NEWS ! Here is the cover of 'The Black Woodpecker - a monograph on Dryocopus martius'. The book is due out any day now. Check out the 'LOOK INSIDE' feature on the publisher's (Lynx Edicions) website for a preview:
Black Woodpecker monograph.

Foraging hole of Black Woodpecker

2011-07-18T21:18:00.001+02:00

A typical, fresh, large oval hole made by a Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius when searching for prey. The smaller holes that can be seen inside are not made by the woodpecker, those are the burrows of the insects that were sought. Estonia, May 2011.

Quiz woodpecker 44

2011-07-13T09:28:00.000+02:00

What is this European species ? Sex ? And why ?

Quiz woodpecker 43

2011-07-05T09:26:00.000+02:00

A woodpecker in Italy. Species ? Sex ? Age ?

Gallery: White-backed Woodpecker male

2011-06-28T15:58:00.001+02:00

Male White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos nominate race. Photo by Thomas Hochebner taken in Austria.

Quiz woodpecker 42

2011-06-20T22:49:00.000+02:00

Which species of woodpecker is this ? Photo by Gerard Gorman taken in Hungary.

Green Woodpecker feeding Black Woodpecker chicks

2011-06-10T18:13:00.003+02:00

Here is a link to a video on YouTube showing a Green Woodpecker Picus viridis feeding Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius chicks at their nest. Shot in Catalonia, Spain, by Joan Culi and Joan Morena, the clip shows a female sharpei race Green Woodpecker. The young are also fed by a female Black Woodpecker, presumably their own mother! It was brought to my attention by Jordi Faus Colomer and is a remarkable bit of footage. Enjoy: Green Woodpecker feeding Black Woodpecker chicks

Quiz woodpecker 41

2011-06-07T20:22:00.000+02:00

Which species is this ? And why ? Photo by Gerard Gorman taken in Hungary.

Video Clip: Syrian Woodpecker

2011-05-30T09:40:00.001+02:00

Adult male Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus with a grub in its beak. Clip by Dan Bastaja shot at Balmazujvaros, Hungary, May 2011.

Gallery: Adult male White-backed Woodpecker

2011-05-26T12:26:00.000+02:00

Adult male White-backed Woodpecker. Nominate race Dendrocopos leucotos leucotos. Taken by Gerard Gorman, Bukk Hills, Hungary, May 2011.

Gallery: Female Syrian Woodpecker

2011-05-20T20:20:00.001+02:00

Adult female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus. Note lack of red on the nape (males show red). Photo taken in Zemplen Hills, Hungary by Gerard Gorman.

Quiz woodpecker 40

2011-05-18T21:02:00.001+02:00

Which species is this ? And why ? Photo taken by Gerard Gorman in Hungary.

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker female

2011-05-15T19:57:00.002+02:00

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus (aka Grey-faced Woodpecker) adult female. Note lack of red on forecrown. Photo by Thomas Hochebner, Austria.

More Black Woodpecker work

2011-05-04T12:34:00.002+02:00

Here is a classic, impressive feeding site of Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius. Such holes are made when birds search for Carpenter Ants. Photo taken at Papuk, north-eastern Croatia by Josip Ledinscak.

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker male

2011-04-24T15:01:00.000+02:00

Adult male Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus.Taken by Thomas Hochebner in Austria.

Gallery: Black Woodpecker female

2011-04-17T19:25:00.001+02:00

Female Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius. Photo taken in Switzerland by Robin Allenbach.

Gallery: First winter female Great Spotted Woodpecker

2011-04-08T08:07:00.001+02:00

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.

Gallery: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker female

2011-04-01T08:29:00.001+02:00

Female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor. At just 14-16cm in length this is Europe's smallest picid. Photo taken at Tata, Hungary by Ferénc Márkus.

Quiz woodpecker 39

2011-03-27T11:13:00.003+02:00

Which species is this ? And why ? Photo taken by Thomas Hochebner in Austria.

Atypical/first winter female Great Spotted Woodpecker

2011-03-20T19:39:00.003+01:00

This photo shows a female Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major with atypical head markings, that is, the black post-aurical stripe does not touch the nape. It is incomplete. This might suggest that the bird is a Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus (see photos in previous 2 posts) but other plumage features, such as red rather than pink under-tail coverts, white outer-tail feathers and a sturdy bill indicate Great Spotted. Could this bird be a hybrid Great Spotted X Syrian? Perhaps, but I think not as such atypical features are not uncommon on Great Spotted Woodpeckers, especially first winter birds. I believe this bird to be an atypical specimen rather than a hybrid. The photo was taken recently by Mladen Vasilev in Bulgaria.

Gallery: Male Syrian Woodpecker

2011-03-14T09:48:00.001+01:00

Adult male Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus. Note the red on the nape (females lack this). Photo taken in Budapest, Hungary.

Gallery: Female Syrian Woodpecker

2011-03-07T08:14:00.004+01:00

Adult female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus. Note lack of red on the nape (males have red there). Black outer tail, broken, incomplete post-auricular stripe, relatively large white forehead patch and pink ventral area, rather than red, all help separation from Great Spotted Woodpecker. Photo taken in Budapest, Hungary.

Quiz woodpecker 38

2011-03-01T07:32:00.000+01:00

Which species of European woodpecker is this ? And why ?

Gallery: Great Spotted Woodpecker male

2011-02-25T13:22:00.000+01:00

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. A male, note the red nape patch. Taken by Thomas Hochebner in Austria.

Sounds: Black Woodpecker

2011-02-19T12:44:00.003+01:00

Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius: quiet, rolling drumming by a female

Recorded in February 2011 in Budapest, Hungary by Gerard Gorman.

Black Woodpecker note in British Birds

2011-02-14T19:37:00.001+01:00

My note on marks in the eyes of Black Woodpeckers Dryocopos martius (as mentioned in an earlier post) is published in this month's British Birds (February 2011 - Vol. 104).

Sounds: Syrian Woodpecker

2011-02-10T20:48:00.005+01:00

Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus: territorial call by a male

Recorded in February 2011 in Budapest, Hungary by Gerard Gorman.

Gallery: Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nutcracker

2011-02-07T14:30:00.000+01:00

Here is a great shot of a female Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major in confrontation with a Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes. Taken by Thomas Hochebner in Austria.

Request for photos for a new book

2011-02-03T10:55:00.004+01:00

I am working on a new book, provisionally entitled Woodpeckers of the World: a photographic guide. This is for the esteemed publisher Christopher Helm/Poyser/A&C Black. The project editor is Jim Martin and he is looking forward to submissions of top-class photos of woodpeckers from anyone who would like to be involved. So, if you have photos of woodpeckers from anywhere in the world then contact Jim and he'll tell you what is needed. Good luck! His address: jmartin@acblack.com

Gallery: Black Woodpecker Leaving Nest

2011-01-31T09:53:00.001+01:00

Male Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius leaving its nesting cavity. Photo taken in Hungary in spring 2010 by Laszlo Becsy.

More Black Woodpecker Feeding holes

2011-01-19T10:17:00.000+01:00

More holes made by a foraging Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius in a swamp alder wood near Ocsa, Hungary. Note the oval shape of the largest one, which is typical, though it is not a nesting hole entrance.

Classic Black Woodpecker Foraging Holes

2011-01-12T10:38:00.000+01:00

Classic, new holes made by a Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius that has searched for Carpenter Ants. Note that the tree is hollow inside and this is where these arboreal ants have their colony. Some say that woodpeckers that do this have "destroyed" or "killed" the tree, but in fact the tree already has heart-rot, is hollow, and is already mostly useless for timber.

Black Woodpecker Monograph

2011-01-05T13:16:00.001+01:00

I would like to announce that my book on Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius is due to be published this July. Click here for some advanced details from the publisher: Black Woodpecker Monograph

Black Woodpecker: iris mark

2011-01-03T09:27:00.001+01:00

A high percentage of Black Woodpeckers Dryocopos martius show irregular shapes and marks in the eye. In particular, this concerns a pear-shaped black mark on the iris (see photo here and above in the blog banner). This is found on both sexes and across the global range; it is not confined to any one local population. Furthermore, no other woodpecker seems to exhibit this to the same extent. It is unclear what the function, if any, of this feature is. I will have a note on this subject in an upcoming issue of the UK journal British Birds and will post here when it is published.

Foraging holes made by Black Woodpecker

2010-12-28T10:32:00.002+01:00

A series of vertical foraging holes made by Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius when searching for beetle larvae. Note the exposed tunnels made by the beetles. Buda Hills, Hungary, November 2010.

Typical feeding stump of White-backed Woodpecker

2010-12-19T18:13:00.003+01:00

Tree stump worked upon in typical fashion by White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos. Zemplen Hills, Hungary, 2010.

Northern Flicker in the WP

2010-12-09T10:32:00.002+01:00

On the 15th October 2010 Vincent Legrand and David Monticelli found this male Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus at High Fields, Corvo Island, Azores. This is probably the first record of this species for the Western Palearctic. Thank you to Vincent for use of his photo.

Gallery: Middle Spotted Woodpecker

2010-11-23T13:45:00.002+01:00

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius by Nigel Sprowell. October 2010, Bukk Hills, Hungary.

Quiz woodpecker 37

2010-11-17T08:15:00.000+01:00

Which European woodpecker is this ? And why ?

Gallery: a pair of Syrian Woodpeckers

2010-11-10T07:25:00.000+01:00

A pair of Syrian Woodpeckers Dendrocopos syriacus. Photo taken in Hungary by Nigel Sprowell.

Green Woodpecker foraging on thatched roof

2010-10-27T18:40:00.000+02:00

I received this note and photo from David Hosking in the UK: This male Green Woodpecker is one of a pair that has regularly visiting the thatched roof of a house in England during the autumn and winter months. They have done this since this roof was re-thatched 5 years ago and seem to probe through the wire netting for insects.

Anvil of Great Spotted Woodpecker

2010-10-15T10:59:00.000+02:00

A woodpecker "anvil" (aka "smithy" or "workshop"). Probably that of a Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Two cones wedged into a broken tree stump. Near Tartu, Estonia, May 2009.

Keystone Species

2010-10-10T10:38:00.000+02:00

Many woodpeckers can be regarded as so-called "keystone species". This term refers to the role they play in providing nesting, denning and roosting sites for other wildlife. Woodpeckers are "primary hole-users", meaning they excavate their own holes. Species that cannot do this, but which use holes created by others, are known as "secondary cavity-users". Black Woodpecker is Europe's largest primary excavator and is an important bird as it provides tree-holes for many other animals such as Stock Dove (as in photo here by Laszlo Becsy in Hungary), Jackdaw, Tawny and Tengmalm's Owls, mammals such as Red Squirrel, Pine Marten, dormice, various bats and even bees, wasps and other insects.

Woodpeckers of the World Blog

2010-10-02T10:23:00.002+02:00

I have created a new blog
WOODPECKERS OF THE WORLD
please take a look.

Gallery: Black Woodpecker

2010-10-01T10:52:00.003+02:00

Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius about to fly. Taken by Jari Peltomäki in Finland.

Black Woodpecker carrying faecal sac

2010-09-26T16:00:00.006+02:00

In this photo an adult male Black Woodpecker is flying from a nest with a faecal sac in its beak. These sacs are made of a mucous membrane and hold the soft droppings of chicks. Woodpeckers usually keep their nesting cavities very clean, removing the droppings of their chicks in this way after feeding bouts. This great shot was taken by Jari Peltomäki in Finland.

Nest-Box Damage

2010-09-22T07:51:00.007+02:00

Some woodpeckers will open up nest-boxes, which have been erected for songbirds, in order to get at the chicks inside. They usually do this by enlarging the entrance hole. Here is an example of a nest-box that a woodpecker (perhaps more than one bird) has worked upon. In fact, the whole dead tree has been a foraging site. It is hard to say which species did this, indeed several species may have visited this tree. Photo taken near Brzeszcze, Poland, September, 2010.

Gallery: Wryneck

2010-09-14T09:21:00.005+02:00

Wryneck Jynx torquilla. Taken at Cley, Norfolk, UK, on September 13th 2010 by Andrew Knights. Wryneck's no longer breed in the British Isles but they do drop in regularly when on migration.

Quiz woodpecker 36

2010-09-08T07:26:00.003+02:00

What is this species of European woodpecker ? And which sex ?

Gallery: Wryneck

2010-08-31T04:04:00.003+02:00

Wryneck Jynx torquilla, Europe's only migratory picid. Photo by Mladen Vasilev, Bulgaria.

Black Woodpeckers - changing over at the nest

2010-08-25T11:55:00.004+02:00

A pair of Black Woodpeckers Dryocopus martius changing over at their nest hole. Photo taken in Hungary by Laszlo Becsy.

Woodpecker Feeding Signs

2010-08-18T09:40:00.004+02:00

I have posted quite a few photos of the marks, mainly holes, that woodpeckers leave on trees when feeding. Many are diagnostic or at least can be narrowed down to a few species. Of course, knowing the range and habitat preferences of each species also helps when wishing to name the woodpecker that made any markings found. But sometimes, with some feeding marks, I would say that it is impossible to positively state which species made them. Here in this photo is an example. It is an old, rotten beech tree riddled with fungi and the holes and marks of a feeding woodpecker or woodpeckers. I took it in an upland forest in Slovakia where up to 8 woodpecker species occur and most of them could have fed here.

Recent Article on Woodpeckers

2010-08-10T15:53:00.003+02:00

You may like to check-out an article by myself entitled A FOREST FRIENDLY SOCIETY in BIRD ART & PHOTOGRAPHY magazine (Issue 2, Summer 2010). This new mag is published in the UK. My article, which is illustrated with some great colour photos from around the continent, deals with Europe's ten picid species and how they are able to live together with minimum conflict.

Black Woodpecker foraging site

2010-08-02T12:17:00.002+02:00

Black Woodpeckers Dryocopus martius are comfortable foraging at the base of trees. They usually do this when searching for carpenter ants, which have their colonies inside timber. Photo of such a site taken in NE Poland in May 2010.

Heinz Sielmann film clips

2010-07-25T17:35:00.008+02:00

Here is a link to a page with three historical film clips. Peter Scott and Heinz Sielmann are discussing the latter's now legendary film "Woodpeckers". In this film woodpeckers were shown as they had never been shown before, right inside the nesting cavity. Click on the 3 photos on the right of the page to view the clips.

http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/film/272/Peter+Scott%3A+Woodpeckers.html

Syrian Woodpeckers in action

2010-07-16T12:07:00.005+02:00

This great action shot of Syrian Woodpeckers Dendrocopos syriacus (female in the air, male on the ground) was taken in Bulgaria by Mladen Vasilev. See more of his woodpecker and other wildlife photos here.

Black Woodpecker male at its hole

2010-07-13T16:14:00.001+02:00

Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius at its nest hole. Note the all red crown denoting a male bird. Photo taken in Hungary by Laszlo Becsy.

Monograph on Black Woodpecker

2010-07-05T09:36:00.004+02:00

I am very pleased to announce that I have recently sent a manuscript on Black Woodpecker to my publisher. This monograph will be published within 12 months. It is the result of 20 years of work... observing pairs of this magnificent woodpecker and scouring the existing literature... and 2 years of writing. Here is a sneak preview of a draft sketch of one of Szabolcs Kokay's black and white illustrations which will be included in the book. There will also be 2 colour plates about 20 colour photographs.

Great Spotted Woodpecker Holes in Shed

2010-07-01T07:25:00.004+02:00

One of the main areas of conflict between woodpeckers and people concerns the damage that they can do to wooden buildings. In some regions, they regularly bore holes in log cabins, barns and even occupied homes. People who, though being “bird-lovers”, sometimes ask for certain “crazy” individuals that continually hack holes in their summer houses to be culled. The precise reason why some birds do this is unclear, but presumably they are searching for prey that reside in the timber walls; it has even been suggested that high-frequency electrical sounds in the building fool the birds into thinking that invertebrates are present. This photo shows the work of a Great Spotted Woodpecker D. major on on a shed near Pasohlavky, Czech Republic, in April 2010.

More Black Woodpecker Feeding Holes

2010-06-20T08:49:00.003+02:00

Classic holes made by Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius when searching for Carpenter Ants. Bialowieza, Poland, May 2010.

Quiz woodpecker 35

2010-06-12T10:01:00.003+02:00

Not a bird, but some holes. Which woodpecker did this and why ?

Quiz woodpecker 34

2010-06-06T21:19:00.002+02:00

Species ? Sex ?

Conifer Cones Wedged By Great Spotted Woodpecker

2010-06-01T19:46:00.002+02:00

Conifer cones wedged in groves in the bark of a tree by Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Bialowieza NP, Poland, May 2010.

Black Woodpecker Foraging Holes

2010-05-21T23:33:00.004+02:00

More of those fantastic holes that Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius makes when searching for Carpenter Ants. Note that the tree is hollow inside and this is where the ants live. Photo by Josef Chytil, Czech Republic.

White-backed Woodpecker Tree Stump

2010-05-12T06:50:00.003+02:00

Tree stump shaved in typical and classic fashion by White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos. Zemplen Hills, Hungary, May, 2010.

Gallery: adult male Green Woodpecker

2010-05-10T12:32:00.004+02:00

Adult male Green Woodpecker Picus viridis. Note the red in the malar stripe. Females lack this. Photo taken by Mladen Vasilev in Bulgaria.

Gallery: adult female Syrian Woodpecker

2010-04-30T17:20:00.004+02:00

Adult female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus. Photo taken in Bulgaria by Mladen Vasilev.

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker Female

2010-04-24T21:34:00.003+02:00

Great shot of a female Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus (aka Grey-faced Woodpecker). Taken by Mladen Vasilev in Bulgaria. Note the lack of red on the fore-crown, which males have.

New Black Woodpecker Feeding Holes

2010-04-20T19:16:00.004+02:00

Newly made holes of Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius. Note that the tree is hollow inside and this is why the bird hacks into it. The bird has not killed this tree as it is already doomed and infested with invertebrates. Photo kindly sent to me by Edward Mayer, taken in a park in Potsdam, Germany.

Holes in Telegraph Pole

2010-04-11T08:58:00.003+02:00

Woodpecker holes in a telephone pole. Given the location and size of the holes almost certainly made by Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Breclav, Czech Republic, April 2010.

Black Woodpecker Holes

2010-03-29T15:17:00.003+02:00

Old holes of Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius in a dead pine tree. This species often creates several holes in favourite trees. Photo taken near Nova, north-west Estonia.

Gallery: Black Woodpecker at nest hole

2010-03-21T11:06:00.004+01:00

Adult male Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius at its nest hole with large chicks. Photo taken by Paul Harris near Frankfurt, in Germany. Note the brownish tones especially in the flight feathers.

Gallery: Green Woodpecker adult female

2010-03-14T22:00:00.004+01:00

Close-up of a female Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis. Note the all black malar stripe. Males have red in the malar.

Woodpeckers Of Europe

Quiz woodpecker 47

Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker female

Recommended Reading: Woodpeckers

Syrian Woodpecker: Individual Plumage Variation

Urban Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers of Europe Talks in the UK.

Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker male

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker female

Gallery: Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Gallery: Great Spotted Woodpecker male

Quiz woodpecker 46

Gallery: White-backed Woodpecker male

Black Woodpecker foraging site

Gallery: adult male Black Woodpecker

Sounds: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor: female drumming

Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker Close-up

Gallery: Syrian Woodpeckers

Gallery: Black Woodpecker male

Signs: Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

Gallery: Green Woodpecker male

Gallery: Eurasian Wryneck

Black Woodpecker Colour Plate

Quiz woodpecker 45

Published !

Syrian Woodpecker - an urban picid

Black Woodpecker Book Cover

Foraging hole of Black Woodpecker

Quiz woodpecker 44

Quiz woodpecker 43

Gallery: White-backed Woodpecker male

Quiz woodpecker 42

Green Woodpecker feeding Black Woodpecker chicks

Quiz woodpecker 41

Video Clip: Syrian Woodpecker

Gallery: Adult male White-backed Woodpecker

Gallery: Female Syrian Woodpecker

Quiz woodpecker 40

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker female

More Black Woodpecker work

Gallery: Grey-headed Woodpecker male

Gallery: Black Woodpecker female

Gallery: First winter female Great Spotted Woodpecker

Gallery: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker female

Quiz woodpecker 39

Atypical/first winter female Great Spotted Woodpecker

Gallery: Male Syrian Woodpecker

Gallery: Female Syrian Woodpecker

Quiz woodpecker 38

Gallery: Great Spotted Woodpecker male

Sounds: Black Woodpecker

Black Woodpecker note in British Birds

Sounds: Syrian Woodpecker

Gallery: Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nutcracker

Request for photos for a new book

Gallery: Black Woodpecker Leaving Nest

More Black Woodpecker Feeding holes

Classic Black Woodpecker Foraging Holes

Black Woodpecker Monograph

Black Woodpecker: iris mark

Foraging holes made by Black Woodpecker

Typical feeding stump of White-backed Woodpecker

Northern Flicker in the WP

Gallery: Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Quiz woodpecker 37

Gallery: a pair of Syrian Woodpeckers

Recommended Reading: The Cult of the Green Bird

Green Woodpecker foraging on thatched roof

Recommended Reading: Schwarzspecht, Grauspecht, Grunspecht

Anvil of Great Spotted Woodpecker

Keystone Species

Woodpeckers of the World Blog

Gallery: Black Woodpecker

Black Woodpecker carrying faecal sac

Nest-Box Damage

Gallery: Wryneck

Quiz woodpecker 36

Gallery: Wryneck

Black Woodpeckers - changing over at the nest