This photo taken recently by Szabolcs Kokay in Budapest, Hungary, shows a male Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major with atypical head markings. It can be seen that the post-aurical stripes do not fully join at the nape, they are broken. This may suggest Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus or perhaps a hybrid bird. However, other features such as the red undertail coverts and strong beak indicate Great Spotted. The bird also apparently called like a Great Spotted and had considerable white on the outer tail feathers (though not really visable on this shot). Such birds often cause observers to claim a hybrid Great Spotted-Syrian, however such atypical features are not uncommon on Great Spotted Woodpeckers and I believe that this bird is simply an atypical specimen. Whether the bird has some Syrian influences, that is, a back-cross resultant from previous hybridizations, cannot be determined.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Atypical Great Spotted Woodpecker
This photo taken recently by Szabolcs Kokay in Budapest, Hungary, shows a male Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major with atypical head markings. It can be seen that the post-aurical stripes do not fully join at the nape, they are broken. This may suggest Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus or perhaps a hybrid bird. However, other features such as the red undertail coverts and strong beak indicate Great Spotted. The bird also apparently called like a Great Spotted and had considerable white on the outer tail feathers (though not really visable on this shot). Such birds often cause observers to claim a hybrid Great Spotted-Syrian, however such atypical features are not uncommon on Great Spotted Woodpeckers and I believe that this bird is simply an atypical specimen. Whether the bird has some Syrian influences, that is, a back-cross resultant from previous hybridizations, cannot be determined.
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Woodpecker anvil
In this photo a Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major is dealing with a pine-cone wedged in an anvil. An anvil like this is sometimes called a "smithy" or "workshop". An anvil is a place, usually a crevice or hole on a tree, but sometimes in a wall, where a woodpecker wedges a food item which it can then open up.
Friday, 19 December 2008
Gallery: Adult female Great Spotted Woodpecker
Adult female Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. The extensive white on the underside of the outer tail feathers (rectrices) is an important feature that separates from Syrian Woodpecker. This is very clear on this photo taken in Suffolk, UK, by Ross Haddow.
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Monday, 15 December 2008
Gallery: Syrian Woodpecker adult female
Adult female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus. Pink undertail coverts, black outer tail feathers and lack of post-auricular stripe on the cheek indicate Syrian rather than Great Spotted Woodpecker. All black nape, lacking red, indicates a female. This photo taken by Julia Burton in Tiszafured, Hungary in October 2008.
Friday, 12 December 2008
Gallery: Green Woodpecker juvenile male
Juvenile male Green Woodpecker Picus viridis. Photo taken in Germany by Thomas Kraft. Note the touch of red in the rather weak malar stripe.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Gallery: Green Woodpecker adult female sharpei race
Adult female Green Woodpecker sharpei race. Taken in France.
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