Middle Spotted Woodpecker: Voice

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius has a reportoire of calls, many quite unlike those made by its relatives. There is a distinct and diagnostic song made mostly, but not only, by males which is quite unlike those of any other European woodpecker. It is made throughout the breeding period but particularly just before laying, and occasionally in autumn and winter. It is usually composed of 4-10 slow-paced notes, though sometimes over 30 are made in a series and can perhaps be described as "kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah" or "kvar-kvar-kvar-kvar" or "gwarh-gwarh-gwarh-gwarh" or "gwaar-gwaar-gwaar-gwaar". It is a cat-like, meowing, whining, nasal, almost painful sounding "song" and is surprisingly far carrying. When establishing territory, courting or excited or annoyed, birds make this same song in a more rapid and strident manner. Sometimes just a single note or two is uttered. There is also a fair degree of individual variation. There is also a series of a rattling "ge-ge-ge-ge-ge" or "kik-kik-kik-kik-kik" notes, which to my ear recall a young Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus begging for food. THis is sometimes more like "kvek-kvek-kvek-kvek" and perhaps recalls some shorebirds, too. There is a slow but hysterical edge to this call and it is often uttered in a series, starting higher-pitched than it finishes, something like "kik-kik-kuk-kuk-kuk". There is a also a rattling call, a bit like that a call that Mistle Thrush Turdus vicivorus makes. These rattling calls may be contact calls and are made all year round. Though there is a typical single Dendrocopos "kik" or "kyk" call, softer than a similar call made by Great Spotted Woodpecker, most like Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, it is often rather feeble and not regularly made. A short, sharp "tek" or "teuk", again similar to other "pied" woodpeckers but lower pitched. Sometimes a Syrian Woodpecker-like "gug" is made, repeated and perhaps recalling Great Spotted Woodpecker but softer and lower pitched. Finally, there is a series of quiet, soft appeasement calls made between adults and recently fledged juveniles. Soon after fledging juveniles start to call like adults.

Grey-headed Woodpecker: voice

The most typical vocalisation of Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus is a song of some 6-10 fairly musical fluty notes “poo-poo-poo-poo-poo-poo” or “pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew” or “pu-pu-pu-pu-pu-pu”. Sometimes a slightly harsher beginning, perhaps like “koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-koo”. This call is made by both sexes though females usually make a shorter version. This call is sometimes a more whistle-like “kee-kee-kee-kee-kee-kee”, descending in pitch, at varied speeds, perhaps “kii-kii-ki-kuu-kuu-kuu". The classic version slows down to a lower pitched dribble after fast start. This “song” is quite easy to imitate and even a poor imitation can attract unpaired or particularly territorial birds. Alarm calls include a croaky, harsh kind of “yaffle”, not unlike that of Green Woodpecker but more of a panicking cackle than a laugh. A Great Spotted-like “kvik” or “kik” is often made briefly in flight. Other calls made when excited include a short, sharp “kuk” or “kook” sometimes in series “kuk-kuk-kuk” and “djack” or “kjak”. When Grey-headeds are excited or nervous they also make a gentle, soft “wee-wee-wee” and a gentle “chuck, chuck, chuck”. During courtship display males call “witty-witty-witty” in series whilst swaying and pointing the bill upwards. In addition, a gentle whinnying sound is made by birds at nest.

Quiz woodpecker 12

Which species is this ? And race ? And gender ?

Black Woodpecker: distribution

Black Woodpecker is a widely distributed species in the Palearctic region. It is a resident, sedentary species which ranges across the cooler temperate regions of the Palearctic, in a zone falling roughly between 62 and 69 degrees north. Black Woodpeckers are not uncommon locally from Spain, France and the Low Countries in the west, to Italy and Greece to the south, as far as the Arctic Circle in the north and eastwards through the taiga belt into Asia. The nominate martius occurs over most of this vast area. In Europe Black Woodpeckers occur in suitable habitat from sea level to the timberline in uplands, breeding in 33 European countries, being absent only from Portugal (seen but no confirmed breeding), Iceland and Britain and Ireland. The species is also found on the island of Kefallinia, Greece, and used to breed on Sicily. In the Baltic Sea they are resident on Gotland, Aland, Bornholm and other islands.

Further reading

Here is a selection of articles on woodpeckers that I have published in the popular birding magazines in Europe:

In English:
Identifying the presence of woodpecker (Picidae) species on the basis of their holes and signs. Aquila, Vol. 102. (1995).
Black Woodpecker in Europe - Britain next? Birding World Vol. 11. 10 (1998).
The Rot Sets In (White-backed Woodpecker) Birdwatch, Issue 77, Nov 1998.
Pecking Order (Finding Woodpeckers). Birdwatch, Issue 81, March 1999.
The Identification of Syrian Woodpecker. Alula, Vol. 5, 3/1999.
Three-toed Woodpecker - species, races, clines. Birding World, Vol. 17. 5. May 2004.
Drum major (White-backed Woodpecker ID). Birdwatch, Issue 145, July 2004.

In Finnish:
Syyriantikan maarrittaminen. Alula, Vol. 5, 3/1999.

In Swedish:
Balkanspetten sprider sig norrut i Europa. Var Fagelvarld, 5/1997.

In Hungarian:
Atipikus farokmintázatú nagy fakopáncs. (Great Spotted Woodpecker with atypical tail colouration). Túzok, Vol. 2. No. 4 (1997).
Harkalyok nyomaban. Madartavlat, Vol. 5, No. 1. 1998.
Balkáni fakopáncs (Dendropcopos syriacus) műhelyei. (Syrian Woodpecker Anvils) Túzok, Vol. 4. No. 4 (1999).

In French:
Identification du Pic syriaque (Dendrocopos syriacus) et repartition en Europe. Ornithos, Vol. 3. No. 4 (1996).

Quiz woodpecker 11

Here is the next woodpecker to ID... species ? sex ? Again, this should not be too hard. The photo was taken in Romania in the summer of 2006.

Quiz woodpecker 10

And which woodpecker species is this ? Is it possible to sex it? Again, this should not be too difficult to ID, though the bird is obscured and the light poor. Photo taken by Robert Tuff in Hungary in 2007.