| Identification
There are only two types of black and white woodpeckers in
the UK, the Great and the Lesser Spotted. The Great
Spotted is the size of a blackbird and the Lesser Spotted
is the size of a Robin. The male Great Spotted Woodpecker
has a red patch on the back of his head and both the male
and females have red 'underpants'.
Size: 22 - 24 cm
Weight: 70 - 100 grams
Characteristics
Although spectacular garden visitors, Great Spotted
Woodpeckers can be an aggressive nuisance to other,
smaller species. They often dominate other birds at
feeders and will raid nest boxes and eat nestlings.
As an opposite side to this is the fact that they are
endearing parents, frequently seen teaching their young
how to use feeders.
BTO Statistics
The population of Great Spotted Woodpeckers increased
substantially during the 70's partly due to Dutch elm
disease. Nesting success seems very high but natural sites
are hard to monitor and with the constant clearing of dead
wood, new nest sites may become rare. |
