Benderloch (talk | contribs) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
;Dendrocopos major | ;Dendrocopos major | ||
| − | [[Image:Great_Spotted_Woodpecker.jpg|thumb| | + | [[Image:Great_Spotted_Woodpecker.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Andy Bright<br>Photographed: Hertfordshire, England]] |
| + | |||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | Great Spotted Woodpecker | + | Great Spotted Woodpecker is 23-26 cm long, with a 38-44 cm wingspan. The upper parts of the male are glossy black, with a crimson spot on the nape and white on the sides of the face and neck. On the shoulder is a large white patch and the flight feathers are barred with black and white. The three outer tail feathers are barred; these show when the short stiff tail is outspread, acting as a support in climbing. The under parts are buffish white, the abdomen and under tail coverts crimson. The bill is slate black and the legs greenish grey, |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | The female has no crimson on the nape, and in the young this nape spot is absent, but the crown is crimson. It may be distinguished from the smaller Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ==Distribution== | |
| − | + | One of the most widespread and abundant of the spotted woodpeckers, breeds throughout Britain, most of Scandinavia except the far north and the highest mountains, throughout Europe from Iberia (although scarce in southern Spain) to northern Greece and east to Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Japan, Korea and China. Also breeds on the Canary Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily and isolated populations in the Caucasus and in parts of southern Greece and northern Turkey, in Morocco and northern parts of Algeria and Tunisia. Further east the southern limits of range are reached in north-east India, Vietnam and Hainan. | |
| − | + | Resident throughout range but may be irruptive in the north. | |
| + | Vagrants recorded in Iceland, the Faroes and Ireland. | ||
| − | ==Habitat== | + | ==Taxonomy== |
| + | About 14 races are recognised differing slightly in overall size, bill size and colour of underparts. However there is much intergradation in mainland races and also variation within races. Typically northern races are larger with shorter, stouter bills and whiter underparts. North African races mauritanus and numidus are cream below with a bold chest band, black at the sides and red in the centre. Two Canarian races, canariensis from Tenerife, creamy-buff below and thanneri from Gran Canaria more greyish. | ||
| + | ==Habitat== | ||
Deciduous, coniferous or preferably mixed woodland and forest, parks and orchards, sometimes, especially in winter, in large gardens. | Deciduous, coniferous or preferably mixed woodland and forest, parks and orchards, sometimes, especially in winter, in large gardens. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
Revision as of 00:40, 16 August 2007
- Dendrocopos major
Identification
Great Spotted Woodpecker is 23-26 cm long, with a 38-44 cm wingspan. The upper parts of the male are glossy black, with a crimson spot on the nape and white on the sides of the face and neck. On the shoulder is a large white patch and the flight feathers are barred with black and white. The three outer tail feathers are barred; these show when the short stiff tail is outspread, acting as a support in climbing. The under parts are buffish white, the abdomen and under tail coverts crimson. The bill is slate black and the legs greenish grey,
The female has no crimson on the nape, and in the young this nape spot is absent, but the crown is crimson. It may be distinguished from the smaller Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Distribution
One of the most widespread and abundant of the spotted woodpeckers, breeds throughout Britain, most of Scandinavia except the far north and the highest mountains, throughout Europe from Iberia (although scarce in southern Spain) to northern Greece and east to Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Japan, Korea and China. Also breeds on the Canary Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily and isolated populations in the Caucasus and in parts of southern Greece and northern Turkey, in Morocco and northern parts of Algeria and Tunisia. Further east the southern limits of range are reached in north-east India, Vietnam and Hainan. Resident throughout range but may be irruptive in the north. Vagrants recorded in Iceland, the Faroes and Ireland.
Taxonomy
About 14 races are recognised differing slightly in overall size, bill size and colour of underparts. However there is much intergradation in mainland races and also variation within races. Typically northern races are larger with shorter, stouter bills and whiter underparts. North African races mauritanus and numidus are cream below with a bold chest band, black at the sides and red in the centre. Two Canarian races, canariensis from Tenerife, creamy-buff below and thanneri from Gran Canaria more greyish.
Habitat
Deciduous, coniferous or preferably mixed woodland and forest, parks and orchards, sometimes, especially in winter, in large gardens.
Behaviour
The drumming sound is made by the male, using a dead dry tree that generates a good volume, to attract a female. The sound can travel over hundreds of metres in favourable conditions. Feeding uses a much less rapid pecking action and the quieter sound generated can only be heard at close quarters. Although the diet usually consists of insects and their larvae, woodpeckers are not averse to preying on young birds in the nest and will smash their way into nest boxes to do this. In areas where woodpeckers are known to be active, a protective sheet of metal may be fitted to the entrance of the box.
Bird Song
<flashmp3>Dendrocopos major (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
