Woodpecker, Great Spotted
The great spotted woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found across Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Across most of its range it is resident, but in the north some will migrate if the conifer cone crop fails. Some individuals have a tendency to wander leading to the recent recolonisation of Ireland and vagrancy to North America. Great spotted woodpeckers chisel into trees to find food or excavate nest holes, and also drum for contact and territorial advertisement; they have anatomical adaptations to manage the physical stresses from the hammering action.
Latin Name
Dendrocopos major
When the bird was spotted
Date
Location
Title
Seen by
Interestingness
Thu 30 Jan 2025
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Cowpen Bewley
b.m.stokesley
**
Tue 21 Jan 2025
Germany, Kandern
In the garden
Hühnerhabicht
*
Tue 30 Jan 2024
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Cowpen Bewley
b.m.stokesley
**
Wed 10 Jan 2024
France, Leymen
In the cherry tree at the front of the house
mike421
**
Sun 05 Feb 2023
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
**
Thu 12 Jan 2023
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Couby Newham Wildlife Park
b.m.stokesley
**
Mon 07 Mar 2022
Germany, Kandern
in neighbour´s garden on walnut tree
Hühnerhabicht
*
Sun 06 Mar 2022
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park
b.m.stokesley
*
Thu 13 Jan 2022
Germany, Wissen
On the feeder
Hühnerhabicht
***
Sat 15 May 2021
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
**
Sun 25 Apr 2021
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
In tree in fields near Kirkby
b.m.stokesley
***
Tue 16 Mar 2021
Germany, Wissen
in the wood of Mühlenthal
Hühnerhabicht
*
Wed 03 Mar 2021
Germany, Kandern
In tree near pond at tennis grounds
Hühnerhabicht
*
Sun 14 Feb 2021
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
**
Sat 20 Jun 2020
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Scaling Dam
b.m.stokesley
**
Tue 02 Jun 2020
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
*
Thu 09 Apr 2020
Germany, Wissen
in the woods
Hühnerhabicht
Tue 07 Apr 2020
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
Sat 18 Jan 2020
Germany, Kandern
at a trunk of a shrub in neighbour´s garden
Hühnerhabicht
**
Mon 13 Jan 2020
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
**
Sun 08 Dec 2019
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
*
Tue 19 Nov 2019
France, La petite Camargue
La petite Camargue
mike421
Fri 15 Nov 2019
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
*
Sat 20 Jul 2019
UK, Nottingham, The Hook
In the garden
mike421
***
Mon 11 Feb 2019
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Roseberry Topping
mike421
**
Mon 11 Feb 2019
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors
Roseberry Topping
b.m.stokesley
Fri 01 Feb 2019
France, Leymen
In the garden
mike421
*
Fri 28 Apr 2017
France, Leymen
On the bird table
mike421
*
Tue 28 Mar 2017
Switzerland, not specified
On the "woodpecker" tree
mike421
*
Sat 19 Jan 2013
France, Leymen
Great spotted on the bird feeder
mike421