Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos major
Aves › Piciformes › Picidae › Dendrocopos
Conservation status: least_concern
The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a striking black and white woodpecker with a bright red patch under its tail, making it one of Europe's most recognizable woodpeckers. You'll identify it by its bold white shoulder patches, sharp calls, and powerful drumming sound as it hammers tree bark in search of insects and larvae.
How To Identify
Medium-sized with striking black and white plumage. Males are easily identified by the prominent red patch on their crest, while females have a similar marking but usually smaller.
Habitat
The Great Spotted Woodpecker lives in broadleaved and mixed woodland and parks.
Behaviour
The Great Spotted Woodpecker exhibits behaviors such as loud drumming in spring and hanging on nut feeders.
Native Range
The Great Spotted Woodpecker is found across the Palearctic including parts of North Africa.
Did You Know?
Drums up to 20 times per second without brain damage — its skull has special shock-absorbing bones.
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