1. Common woodpecker or Great spotted woodpecker – Dendrocopos major
The great spotted woodpecker is a medium-sized bird with a body length of 25-28 cm and a weight of 80-120 g. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is black and white, the bottom of the body is white, there is a characteristic bang on the head. The tail is long and thin. The great spotted woodpecker has a long, sharp beak and strong claws.
The great spotted woodpecker is common in Europe, Asia and North Africa. In Ukraine, it nests throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
The great spotted woodpecker is a sedentary bird. It lives in deciduous and mixed forests, parks and gardens. The great spotted woodpecker nests in the hollows of trees, sometimes occupying the nests of other birds. The nest is built of small branches, moss and lichens. There are 4-7 eggs in the clutch of the great spotted woodpecker. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 12-14 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
The great spotted woodpecker feeds on insects, their larvae, spiders, berries and seeds. A great spotted woodpecker removes the bark of trees, looking for insect larvae.
The great spotted woodpecker is a fairly common species, but in some regions its number is decreasing. The reasons for this are the destruction of forests, poaching and the use of chemical plant protection products.
In Ukraine, the great spotted woodpecker is not listed in the Red Book.
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko