Appearance:

Variable plumage, but not as varied as Buzzard. Prominent black carpal patches and broad black terminal band on tail in all plumages. Upperparts dark and speckled, underparts pale. Head is paler than back, and base of bill paler still. Conspicuous white base of tail, and upperside of tail contrasts with the dark back. Female with big black belly patch, and one broad terminal band on tail. In males the belly patch this is less prominent, and the tail has 1-2 narrow bands in addition to the terminal one. Only other raptor with white tail and broad terminal band in the area is young Golden Eagles. These can be identified by size, and by showing 6 fingers, not 5 as in Buteo (Buzzards). Soars with slightly more raised wings than Buzzard.

Sound:

Most typical call a wailing, mewing "peeoooo". Quite similar to Buzzard, but the pitch falls more evenly throughout the whole call.

Alarm call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Giovanni Boano, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Very small, almost sparrow-sized, woodpecker. Most likely to be confused with Great Spotted Woodpecker, but vent never red (always in Great Spotted). Back heavily barred, and underparts streaked. No large patches of white on upperparts. Male with red crown, female purely black and white. Bill small and slender. More likely to be seen foraging in branches than most other woodpeckers. Fluttering flight.

Sound:

Frequently drums in quite long series. Much longer than Great Spotted, and without ritardando. Most common call a series of merlin-like "ke-ke-ke-ke-ke-ke" given at fairly stable pitch, and less hoarse than Merlin. Differs from Wryneck in lacking marked rise and fall in pitch, and being less plaintive.

Drumming, song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Stefan Berndtsson, Licence,Link, CC-photo:Maggi_94, Licence,Link,

CC-photo:phenolog, Licence,Link,