Appearance:

Summer plumage unmistakable, with black underparts framed in white, with white and grey-speckled upperparts. Diagnostic in all plumages are the black armpits, which are clearly visible in flying birds. Also shows white wing-bars and very pale tail, with some barring. Winter-plumaged and juvenile birds speckled in grey with white underparts. Can be mistaken for Golden Plover. Especially the juveniles, which may have faint golden tone to plumage. Note instead heavier bill with swollen tip and bulkier body.

Sound:

Contact call diagnostic. A plaintive, drawn and trisyllabic (but continuous) "kleeooowee". Pitch falls on second syllable and rises on last.

Contact 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-photo:bathyporeia, Licence,Link.CC-sound:Paul Marvin, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Biggest woodpecker in WP (crow size). All black with red crown (male) or nape (female). Unmistakable. Flight Nutcracker-like, "inefficient" and fluttering, almost without undulations.

Sound:

Most sounds diagnostic and very far reaching. Drumming very powerful and long (1.8 - 3 sec.) with slightly falling intensity and accelerated ending. Each beat clearly distinguishable as in Tree-toed Woodpecker, but duration much longer. Drumming:

Flight call a characteristic resonant trill "krrreekrrreekrrreekrrree". A characteristic short, sharp and plaintive "keeaaa" with descending pitch often uttered when excited. Song a quick series of "klee" calls resembling Green Woodpecker, but with a purer tone and upward infliction at end of each syllable. A few slower drawn-out introductory calls before the phrase gets going is diagnostic.

Excitement call, song, social sounds, flight 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