- Dryocopus martius
Identification
45-47 cm. Black glossy body, bluish tinged upperparts, white eye, large (5cm) dagger-shaped bill, broad at the base and tapering to a sharp, chisel tip, greyish-white bill with indigo or black culmen ridge and tip. Dull grey legs and feet. Males- entire crown is red, females only the hindcrown.
Distribution
Occurs from Europe to the Pacific coast of northern Asia.
In the Western Palearctic the main breeding range is Scandinavia except the highest mountains and the far north and from Germany and Switzerland across Europe to the Urals and Caspian. In the south breeds as far as northern Greece but rare and local in Turkey. Scattered breeding populations in much of France and the Low Countries, the Pyrenees and Cantabrians, southern Apennines, the eastern Balkans and isolated in the Caucasus.
Breeds across northern Asia from the Urals to Kamchatka, Sakhalin and China. In Japan breeds on Hokkaido and has bred in northern Honshu and there is an isolated population in western China.
Mainly resident but small numbers are seen at Scandinavian migration sites and juveniles disperse to some extent. Expanding range in north-western Europe, particularly in France and now found as far west as Brittany.
Vagrants have possibly reached Britain but despite now having been reported more than 80 times there are no accepted records. The English Channel does not seem to be an insurmountable barrier for this species as it has colonised the Danish island of Bornholm which lies a similar distance from the mainland as that between northern France and Kent.
Taxonomy
Nominate race occurs over most of range with khamensis in western China with blacker and glossier plumage.
Habitat
Mature forest, coniferous, deciduous or preferably mixed. In winter may occur in rather more open habitats.
Behaviour
Breeding
Nests in large tree, favours beech, pine or aspen, and 4 or more eggs are laid. Often drums from the highest tree in the area.
Diet
Frequently feeds on the ground.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Dryocopus martius (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
