Appearance:

Unmistakable due to the extremely long, red legs. High contrast plumage with pointed, black wings (both upper and under-side) and white underparts. Tail white, with white wedge extending up back. Back of adult male sooty black, while brownish black in female and immature. Head all white or with black markings independent of sex (males more often have black markings than females though). Immature with faint, pale fringes to coverts, and white trailing edge to secondaries visible in flight.

Sound:

Most vocal at breeding ground. Various short,sharp "kyp" may resemble both Avocet, Coot and Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus). While a tern-like "kee-arr" is more distinct. Note that immature birds have a different contact call closely resembling Wood Sandpiper, but do not utter it in series.

Contact calls:

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

Appearance:

Pied, medium sized woodpecker with strong bill, and diagnostic elongated white shoulder patches (scapulars). Vent always red. Male with red hindneck, female shows no read on head. Juveniles with whole crown red, barred scapulars and pinkish vent. Differs from Syrian- and Middle Spotted Woodpecker in long moustache stripe connecting to both black nape and base of bill. Flight strongly undulated with alternating burst of wing-beats and glides with closed wings.

Sound:

It's frequent drumming is easily recognized by its short duration. Typically it lasts 0.5 seconds, sometimes slightly longer. Contact call frequently hear throughout the year. A short hiccup "kek", sometimes in series. When excited this may escalate into a trill.

Contact call, alarm call, drumming:

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