Woodpeckers of Europe

Gallery: Black Woodpecker Adult Male

2009-12-17T10:12:00.002+01:00

This great shot of a male Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius was taken in Hungary by Laszlo Nehezy. Click here to see more of Laszlo's superb photography which includes several woodpeckers.

Gallery: Green Woodpecker adult female sharpei race

2009-12-09T22:31:00.001+01:00

Adult female Green Woodpecker Picus viridis sharpei. Photo taken by Mark Etheridge in the Clot de Galvany Nature Reserve (circa 10km south of Alicante) Spain on 18th November 2009. See male at same site, in post below.

Gallery: Green Woodpecker adult male sharpei race

2009-12-06T10:41:00.008+01:00

Adult male Green Woodpecker Picus viridis sharpei. The taxonomic status of sharpei race is under discussion and called, when considered a full species, Iberian Woodpecker or Iberian Green Woodpecker. Photo taken by Mark Etheridge in the Clot de Galvany Nature Reserve (circa 10km south of Alicante) Spain on 18th November 2009.

Quiz woodpecker 30

2009-12-02T08:11:00.005+01:00

It has been some time since the last "Quiz Woodpecker" post on this blog. So, here is number 30. What do we have in this photo from Estonia ? Which species ? Which sex are these birds?

Woodpecker Holes in Telephone Pole

2009-11-25T12:50:00.005+01:00

This photo shows a wooden telephone pole that woodpeckers have made holes in. Both Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major and Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus are present in the park in northern Serbia where this photo was taken and both of these species could be responsible.

Pine Cones Below Anvil

2009-11-16T19:08:00.004+01:00

A pile of opened pine cones below the anvil, or workshop, of a Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Favourite anvils are repeatedly used and thus piles of cones accumulate as they are tossed out after being opened and the seeds extracted. Forest near Tartu, Estonia, 2009.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Ireland

2009-11-12T17:01:00.005+01:00

Finally, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major has been found breeding in the Republic of Ireland. The species has been breeding in Northern Ireland since 2006, and indeed may have been breeding in the south for some years, but now the firm evidence is there. Eight occupied nesting holes of the species documented in County Wicklow, in 2009. Read about it here: Great Spotteds in Ireland

Tongue of Syrian Woodpecker

2009-11-08T11:38:00.006+01:00

This photo of a juvenile Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus, found dead in Budapest, Hungary, was sent to me by Szabolcs Kokay. It shows the amazing, long tongue.

Tree Stripped by Black Woodpecker

2009-11-02T09:39:00.004+01:00

This tree has been stripped by Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius. At first glance it may look like the work of White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos which works in a similar way on dead trees, however, the very large wood chips below the tree, the rather ragged nature of the stripped wood and the larger slashes on the tree (indicating the much larger bill of the larger species) all point to Black Woodpecker. Pilis Hills, Hungary, November 2009.

Black Woodpecker Nest Hole

2009-10-29T09:26:00.006+01:00

Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius at nest-hole. Note the classic, oval shape of the cavity entrance.No other European woodpecker makes nest holes of this size or shape. This is another shot by my friend Uku Paal in Estonia.

Gallery: White-backed Woodpeckers

2009-10-24T19:43:00.007+02:00

Male (above, on tree) and female (below, landing) White-backed Woodpeckers Dendrocopos leucotos. Note red crown of male and black crown of female. This great photo was taken by Uku Paal in Estonia in winter.

Black Woodpecker Very Recent Feeding Site

2009-10-16T17:50:00.002+02:00

Recent feeding site of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius in an oak tree. Note the neat oval shape, clean wood and the beak marks. Buda Hills, Hungary, October 2009.

Gallery: Three-toed Woodpecker male alpinus race

2009-10-14T08:14:00.004+02:00

Adult male Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus alpinus. Note the yellow crown. This is is only European woodpecker with yellow feathers in its plumage. Photo by László Bécsy, Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, May 2007

Gallery: Male Syrian Woodpecker

2009-09-30T10:07:00.002+02:00

Adult male Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus.

Note posted the small red nape patch, the incomplete post-auricular stripe, large white forehead patch and fine tip to the bill. Photo taken in Armenia in 2007, by Uku Paal.

Gallery: Three-toed Woodpecker alpinus race female

2009-09-27T15:39:00.004+02:00

Adult female Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus alpinus. The bird is carrying larva prey to its young in the nest-hole. Photo by László Bécsy, Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, May 2007.

Gallery: Three-toed Woodpecker alpinus race male

2009-09-22T08:16:00.005+02:00

Adult male Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus alpinus. Photo by László Bécsy taken in the Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, May 2007

Three-Toed Woodpecker Feeding Site

2009-09-19T21:19:00.004+02:00

Bark of a Norway Spruce Picea abies removed and peeled back by Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus. This woodpecker specialises in predating the larvae of the European Spruce Bark Beetle Ips typographus. The trails of the burrows of the larvae can be clearly seen in this photo. Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, September 2009.

Black Woodpecker: Log Feeding Site

2009-09-11T10:36:00.005+02:00

Recent feeding site of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius on a log on the ground. Lednice, South Moravia, March 2009.

Gallery: Rear View Of Black Woodpecker

2009-09-04T08:53:00.005+02:00

This shot of a Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius was taken in northern Greece by Alexandros Gassios. It is hard to see the amount of red on the crown, but it seems that it is fairly extensive and erect thus this is probably a male bird.

Black Woodpecker: fresh feeding hole

2009-08-31T08:50:00.007+02:00

New, fresh, feeding hole of Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius. The oval shape, low location, large beak marks and size (a man's hand can fit inside) all indicated that this hole was created by this species.

Quiz woodpecker 29B

2009-08-28T18:12:00.004+02:00

Here is another video clip by Dan Bastaja of the "pied" woodpecker shown in the clip below. Some responses have said it is a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker. If that is so, which features rule out juvenile Syrian Woodpecker ?

Quiz woodpecker 29

2009-08-25T13:33:00.004+02:00

Here is a video clip by Dan Bastaja of a "pied" woodpecker. Which species is it ?

Grey-headed Woodpecker: Assorted Feathers

2009-08-17T12:02:00.003+02:00

Here are an assortment of feathers from Grey-headed Woopdecker Picus canus. The bird was found dead (seemingly predated by a bird of prey) in the Bükk Hills, Hungary, with many of its feathers plucked. Photographed by Szabolcs Kokay.

Video Clip: Great Spotted Woodpecker Male: Tongue

2009-08-12T09:21:00.006+02:00

Here is a short clip of a male Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major at a nest-hole. Note the tongue movements. This was shot in Italy but I do not have the name of the person who sent me this clip or the location. Please advise. Thanks.

Green Woodpecker Forgaing

2009-08-02T16:33:00.002+02:00

A Green Woodpecker Picus viridis doing what they typically do, that is, foraging on the ground. Photo taken in Greece.