Europe's only truly migratory woodpecker

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla. Pag Island, Croatia, April 2015 (Gerard Gorman). This species is Europe's only truly migratory woodpecker. Most of Europe's breeding population winters in sub-Sahara Africa, leaving in autumn and returning in spring. 

Syrian Woodpecker female

Female Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus, Apaj, Hungary, April 2015.

Black Woodpecker nesting cavity

Nesting cavity entrance of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, Hungary, April 2015. In Europe, only Black Woodpeckers make oval-shaped holes like this, in fact, the majority of the holes of this species are this shape. This one was 25m up in an old beech tree. It is fresh, new, as the wood around the rim is still clean and pale.

Tree stump shaved by White-backed Woodpecker

Tree stump worked on by White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos. March 21, Bukk Hills, Hungary (Gerard Gorman). In Europe only White-backed Woodpecker shaves timber in this way when looking for prey. Similar work is done by Black and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, but they tend to strip and peck panels or patches rather than totally shave whole stumps or snags from top to bottom and all around, and the beak marks they leave are more crude, not as fine. 

Black Woodpecker work

Spring is one the way and the woodpeckers are drumming and calling and getting ready for the breeding season. Here is some fresh foraging work by Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, Csepel, Budapest, Hungary, March.

Great Spotted Woodpecker eating peanuts

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Budapest, Hungary, February 2014 (Gerard Gorman). In many parts of its vast range, from the British Isles eastwards through continental Europe and into Asia, this common species is often found in urban habitats, readily visiting garden feeders.

Answer to last woodpecker quiz

The last quiz bird was, of course, not difficult... Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major.
Taken in a garden in Buda, Budapest, Hungary, February 2014 (Gerard Gorman). Here is another shot of the same bird.