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
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Cowpen Bewley b.m.stokesley **
Germany, Kandern In the garden Hühnerhabicht *
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Cowpen Bewley b.m.stokesley **
France, Leymen In the cherry tree at the front of the house mike421 **
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 **
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Couby Newham Wildlife Park b.m.stokesley **
Germany, Kandern in neighbour´s garden on walnut tree Hühnerhabicht *
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park b.m.stokesley *
Germany, Wissen On the feeder Hühnerhabicht ***
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 **
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors In tree in fields near Kirkby b.m.stokesley ***
Germany, Wissen in the wood of Mühlenthal Hühnerhabicht *
Germany, Kandern In tree near pond at tennis grounds Hühnerhabicht *
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 **
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Scaling Dam b.m.stokesley **
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 *
Germany, Wissen in the woods Hühnerhabicht
France, Leymen In the garden mike421
Germany, Kandern at a trunk of a shrub in neighbour´s garden Hühnerhabicht **
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 **
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 *
France, La petite Camargue La petite Camargue mike421
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 *
UK, Nottingham, The Hook In the garden mike421 ***
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Roseberry Topping mike421 **
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Roseberry Topping b.m.stokesley
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 *
France, Leymen On the bird table mike421 *
Switzerland, not specified On the "woodpecker" tree mike421 *
France, Leymen Great spotted on the bird feeder mike421