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Black Woodpecker
(Dryocopus martius)
German name(s): "Schwarzspecht"
Size: 40-46 cm; wing span: 67-73 cm
Weight: 250-400 g
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Black Woodpeckers are large woodpeckers, with an all-black
plumage, except
for a red cap. The sexes are almost identical, the only
difference being that
males
have an all-red cap, whereas
females
are red only at the back of the head.
The irises of both sexes are light-grey. The straight, pointy bill is
horn-coloured to light-grey, with a grey tip. Legs and feet are grey.
Like all other treecreepers and related species
they have long toes, of which two are pointing forward and two
backward.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Black
Woodpecker at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Black Woodpecker is available
HERE
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Black Woodpeckers are sedentary throughout their range.
The overall range extends from northern
Iberia in the West to Japan in the East. They are found in
most of central, northern, eastern and south-eastern Europe
and Scandinavia, throughout much of mid- to high-latitude
Asia (but not in the region from eastern Ukraine to all of
Kazakhstan), up to northern Asia Minor, the Caucasus mountain
range, northern Iran, southern China and Korea in the South.
In Europe Black Woodpeckers are found as permanent residents
from northern Iberia, via all of central Europe and most of
Scandinavia (except the highest mountain ranges) into eastern
and most of south-eastern Euope. They are not found in most
Mediterranean Europe, except a population in south-western
Italy. They are also absent from the Adriatic coastline and
the northern coastline of the Black Sea. Except for a few
locations along the lower Danube, they are not found in the
majority of the Danube River valley (e.g. in the Hungarian
Puszta and parts of Romania).
Black Woodpeckers have a preference for mature forest.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
A Black Woodpecker was caught, ringed and photographed
by S. Cuturilov in Ovcarsko-Kablarski Canyon, near Cacak,
Serbia, in October 2017.
D. Wilczynska reports hearing a Black Woodpecker near
Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, in April 2018.
Another was found near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, in
July 2018.
G. Normand found a Black Woodpecker in
Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, France, in March 2021.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Near-frontal view of a male Black Woodpecker - note the all-red
cap (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Ovcarsko-Kablarski Canyon, near Cacak, Serbia, October 2017]
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FEMALE |
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Lateral view of a female Black Woodpecker - note the small red
cap at the back of the head (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2018]
Lateral view of a female Black Woodpecker
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2018]
Lateral view of a female Black Woodpecker
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2018]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Black Woodpecker
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, France, March 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a female Black Woodpecker
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, France, March 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a female Black Woodpecker
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, France, March 2021]
Dorsal view of a female Black Woodpecker
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, France, March 2021]
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Black Woodpecker sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.