Page 264 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WOODPECKERS AND WRYNECK
Order Piciformes Family Picidae Species Dendrocopos minor
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

broad, red cap
rounded wings
black cap black cheek
patch
MALE
short
tail some red
on crown
(more on
male)
IN FLIGHT
black back
with broad
white bars
barred
back
FEMALE buff-white
underside,
JUVENILE finely streaked

ertainly the smallest
Cof the woodpeckers,
this is also the least
strikingly patterned, its
barring somewhat blurred
and diffuse. It is, however, FLIGHT: quite weak and uncertain; bursts of
clearly a pied woodpecker wingbeats between swoops with closed wings in
although it spends much of deep, bouncy undulations. MALE
its time in the higher, more
slender branches of trees, unlike the others. It prefers limes, elms, and other trees
with very upright twigs,and uses its tail as a prop like most other woodpeckers,
clinging more or less upright to its perch. Because of its size and generally quiet
demeanour, it is easy to overlook, but in most areas is genuinely rather scarce.
VOICE Sharp, weak tchik, nasal, peevish pee-pee-pee-pee-pee-pee especially in spring;
weak drum.
1
NESTING Hole in tree, 3cm (1 ⁄4in) in diameter; 4–6 eggs; 1 brood; May–June.
FEEDING Chips out insects and their larvae from beneath loose or rotten bark;
also takes insects from thick, woody plant stems close to ground.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES In most of Europe except Iceland,
Ireland, N UK, and much of Spain
GREAT SPOTTED WRYNECK and Portugal. Widespread in
WOODPECKER 32; similar call; woodland, copses, orchards, and
see p.260 white 3 see p.263
shoulder tall hedges with old or diseased
bold white brown trees. Resident, except for local
shoulder patch
patch movements which take it into
MIDDLE SPOTTED gardens and parks.
WOODPECKER 32;
red under 2has dull red cap; Seen in the UK
tail see p.261 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 14–15cm (5 1 ⁄2 –6in) Wingspan 25–27cm (10–10 1 ⁄2in) Weight 18–22g ( 5 ⁄8 – 13 ⁄16oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan 5–10 years Status Secure
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