Appearance:

Unmistakable in most of Europe where no other nuthatch species occur. Only bird climbing head-first downwards trees. Blue-grey upperparts, white underparts and solid black eye stripe. Large head, long bill and short tail. Climbs in jerky, but nimble motion. Scandinavian birds with mostly white underparts (except for vent), continental birds with more rufous belly.

Sound:

Very varied voice. Ranging from very high pitched whistles and melodic resonant calls, to chattering and nasal mocking sounds. Song a simple series of loud notes. Characteristic warning call a hard "check" or "chwit", often in rapid series, like a pebble bouncing on hollow ice.

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:

Shows no red patches in any plumages. Only woodpecker in WP with barred flanks. White stripes extends from behind eye to back and from base of bill to scapulars, but head is generally much darker than in other pied woodpeckers. Crown in male yellow, in female speckled white.

Sound:

Drumming powerful and slow, with each beat clearly distinguishable. Most similar to Black Woodpecker but not as long (1 - 1.4 seconds). Accelerated ending (just the last few beats). Contact call similar to Great Spotted, but deeper and softer. Not very vocal.

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

CC-sounds:Antero Lindholm, www.xeno-canto.org/247630.