Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) lives in temperate deciduous woodland across Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Wandering great spotted woodpeckers naturally repopulated Ireland after the species disappeared centuries ago, with the first confirmed nest found in County Down in 2007. Subsequent surveys showed breeding spreading to at least ten counties by 2013 and, by 2021, to every Irish county except Mayo. Genetic studies reveal these Irish birds derive from British rather than Scandinavian stock, underscoring a self-driven range expansion without human assistance.
- Juvenile great spotted woodpeckers frequently wander far from their natal sites, typically moving 100-600 km and on exceptional occasions travelling as far as 3 000 km. These long-distance dispersers have turned up as vagrants on remote islands such as the Faroe Islands, Hong Kong and Iceland. In addition, isolated records exist from North America, including the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands and Alaska.
- The great spotted woodpecker produces the quickest drumming of any woodpecker in its range, delivering about 10-16 rapid strikes per second in bursts that last roughly one second. Both sexes drum, but the male dominates the activity, especially from mid-January until the chicks leave the nest. This fast mechanical percussion serves to keep paired adults in contact and to signal ownership of a territory to rivals.
- The great spotted woodpecker has been recorded hybridising with the Syrian woodpecker. It is one of several close relatives within the Dendrocopos genus, including the Syrian woodpecker.
- For decades the rapid drumming was mistaken for a vocal sound, but it was only in 1943 that scientists proved it to be a purely mechanical action. Both sexes drum, but the male does so much more often, especially from mid-January until the fledglings leave the nest.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEurasia and parts of North Africa
HabitatTemperate deciduous woodland
DietInsects and sap
About the Great Spotted Woodpecker
In the dappled light of the forest, the Great Spotted Woodpecker flits with effortless precision, its wings a blur of black and white as it darts from tree to tree. With each drumming beat, it announces its presence to the woodland community, a bold declaration of territory and intent that echoes through the stillness. As it scales the gnarled trunk of an ancient oak, its strong, chisel-tipped beak probing for hidden insects, the woodpecker embodies a perfect union of form and function, a masterclass in adaptation and survival.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker photographed on Feravox
