Details
Dendrocopos major
A black-and-white woodpecker widespread across Eurasian woodland, climbing trunks and advertising territories by drumming.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Lives in deciduous, conifer, and mixed woods as well as parks, orchards, and gardens with dead or mature trees for nest holes.
Black-and-white plumage, white shoulder patches, and red undertail coverts are distinctive. Males have a red nape patch; juveniles have red crowns.
It climbs trunks and branches, bracing with stiff tail feathers. In spring it drums loudly on resonant dead wood.
Insect larvae, adult insects, seeds, nuts, and fruit are eaten. Pine cones and feeders are used in winter.
Pairs excavate nest holes in dead or soft wood. Old cavities later provide shelter for many other small animals.
Large range and population keep it low-risk; retaining mature trees and dead wood supports local breeding habitat.
