Page 439 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WOODPECKERS AND WRYNECKS/LARKS
Family Picidae Species Dendrocopos syriacus Family Picidae Species Dendrocopos leucotos
Syrian Woodpecker White-backed Woodpecker

This is the most similar woodpecker to the common A rare, large woodpecker of undisturbed forest,
Great Spotted Woodpecker (see p.260). Male (red this obvious pied type has barred
nape), female (black nape), and juvenile (red crown) wings (no white shoulder
variations are like Great Spotted but patch) and a white rump. red
crown
the red under the tail is Close views are difficult,
replaced by pale pink- but show a red crown
red on Syrian.The on males and buffish
black face-stripe does underparts deepening
not join the black hind- to pinkish red under
neck (hard to tell when the tail.A white band
the bird is hunched), and between the dark back
the bill is rather long. and cheek patches is
OCCURRENCE Common distinctive. Old
in SE Europe, scarce but woodland is important
spreading northwest into for this declining species.
E Europe. OCCURRENCE Very rare in
VOICE Soft kik; drumming Pyrenees; scattered resident
slightly longer and less abrupt in E Europe and S Scandinavia.
than Great Spotted’s. VOICE Dull, throaty kik,
sometimes repeated;
pale pink-red pinkish red
under tail drumming accelerates.
under tail
FEMALE MALE
Length 23–25cm (9–10in) Wingspan 38–44cm (15–17 1 ⁄2in) Length 25–28cm (10–11in) Wingspan 40–45cm (16–18in)

Family Picidae Species Picoides tridactylus Family Alaudidae Species Calandrella rufescens
Three-toed Woodpecker Lesser Short-toed Lark
A small, elusive woodpecker of coniferous forest, the This small, pale, streaky lark is much like the Short-
Three-toed is unique in Europe in having a yellowish toed Lark (see p. 269), but distinguished by a gorget
cap, but this is hard to see, and the black and white of fine, dark streaks;it also has more uniform wings (less
striped face is a better feature. contrasted rows of dark feather centres). In some ways
yellowish cap
The back is largely it looks more like an undersized Skylark (see p. 265),
black, with a patch but lacks the pale hind edge to the
of white bars (in the wings. Close views should show
Alps and SE Europe) a longer wingtip point.The calls
or a white central are important in helping to
stripe (N Europe). make identification certain.
Dead spruce branches OCCURRENCE Rare in
stripped of bark and S and E Spain and Turkey,
holes chipped out to Middle East, and N Africa.
collect sap are clues to the VOICE Dry, buzzing
presence of this shy bird. trill, drrrrt; song rich,
OCCURRENCE Local in varied, quick, with streaked
Scandinavia and NE Europe; buzzy calls breast
rare in Alps, Balkans, and intermixed.
E Europe, in hilly forest
with dead trees. long wing
point
VOICE Soft, nasal, short no red
kik; drumming loud, long, under tail
slightly accelerating.
Length 22–24cm (9–9 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 40cm (16in) Length 13–14cm (5–5 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 24–32cm (9 1 ⁄2 –12 1 ⁄2in)
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