Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

To prevent brain damage from hammering wood up to 20 times per second, their skull has a spongy structure and their long tongue wraps completely around their brain as a seatbelt.

Scientific name

Dendrocopos major

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Piciformes › Picidae › Dendrocopos

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

increasing

Biome

forest

Habitat

Deciduous, coniferous, and mixed woodlands, as well as mature parks and large gardens.

Diet

Insects (especially wood-boring beetle larvae), tree sap, pine and spruce seeds, and occasionally eggs or chicks of other birds.

Range

Europe, North Africa, North Asia, East Asia

Size

Length: 20-24 cm, Wingspan: 34-39 cm, Weight: 70-100 g

Lifespan

5 to 11 years in the wild

Active

diurnal

Threats

Removal of deadwood and mature trees which they rely on for nesting and foraging.

Safe to approach?

This species is harmless to humans and generally wary. Observe quietly from a distance of at least 10 meters, especially during nesting season. Do not attempt to handle wild birds. If you find an injured woodpecker, contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

The great spotted woodpecker ( Dendrocopos major ) is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found across Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Across most of its range it is resident, but in the north some will migrate if the conifer cone crop fails. Some individuals have a tendency to wander,...

Photo: Paolo Zucca, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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