Appearance:

Green back. Head mostly grey with only a slim black moustache stripe, and underparts rather greyish too. Smaller than Green Woodpecker, and bill less heavy. Male with small red patch on forehead. Flight and movements more agile than Green Woodpecker.

Sound:

Mostly heard during the breeding season. Song similar to Green Woodpecker, but general tone is soft and melancholic. Phrases consists of series of 5-8 clear notes falling both in pitch and intensity, and with diagnostic ritardando at the end. Short "kek" uttered if excited. Rarely drums.

Song:

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

Appearance:

Similar to Great Spottet Woodpecker, D. major in all plumages, but can be separated by the following fieldmarks: Moustache stripe does not connect to the black neck like in D. major, but this is often difficult to observe. Note also that young D. major may have similar (but smaller) gap. Tail almost black with just small white spots at edges of base (bold black and white edges in D. major). Nostril coverts white. Vent more pinkish than red, while red neck patch of male reaches further towards the crown. Immature birds may recall Middle Spotted Woodpecker, but note black border between crown and cheeks and long, powerful bill (like Great Spotted). Chest of immature often with pink wash.

Sound:

Contact call similar to D. major, but softer and not unlike alarm call of Redshank. Drumming also similar to D. major but longer (especially in males) and with marked lowering of volume at the end (diminuendo).

Contact call:

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-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Bart van Hoogstraten, Licence,Link.