Appearance:

Largely unmistakable. All black, with white frontal shield and pale bill. Very stocky build. Lacks the white lateral stripe and white under tail-coverts of Moorhen. White trailing edge of wings visible in flight. Juveniles paler and more grey than adults, often with whitish front and neck. Under tail-coverts are dark, unlike juvenile Moorhen.

Sound:

Varied. Usually short, metallic and explosive. Most diagnostic call a very short, sharp and explosive "tsk". Sometimes a longer, less sharp but nasal "caw", with varying harshness.

Various calls:

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.