Great spotted woodpecker Factfile
Latin name
Distribution
Great spotted woodpeckers are widespread across the UK wherever there is woodland or significant numbers of scattered trees, but are largely absent from the far north of Scotland, Western and Northern Isles.
Habitat
The main habitat requirement for Great spotted woodpeckers is mature trees, in particular deciduous. Therefore woodland is the principles habitat, but areas such as parkland and farmland if there are enough mature trees in copses and hedgerows, plus large gardens, will also support breeding pairs. Great spotted woodpeckers are also present in mature areas of commercial conifer plantation, and especially where there are some dead trees and clearer areas due to windblown fallen trees.
UK Population
The UK breeding population of Great spotted woodpeckers is around 130,000 pairs.
Of all the birds which visit our gardens, the Great spotted woodpecker is arguably the most striking. The Great spotted woodpecker is a highly distinct species, with largely black and white plumage and a red patch under the tail; the male also has a red patch at the back of his head, while the female has a black nape. Juvenile Great spotted woodpeckers have a red crown, both male and female, but it is not as bright in colour as that of adult male. Great spotted woodpeckers are also fairly easy to identify in flight, with the motion being undulating and with the wings entirely folded back on the downward part of the undulation.
Great spotted woodpeckers are a fairly large bird, with the size being roughly comparable to a Blackbird – albeit the shape of each species is very different. The wingspan of a Great spotted woodpecker is 34-39cm and the length of the bird 22-23cm. The much rarer Lesser spotted woodpecker is much smaller than Great spotted and are only about the size of a House sparrow, therefore the two species can’t really be confused. In addition and although the colouring of both species is similar, the Lesser spotted woodpecker has striped markings on the upper side of its wings which the Great spotted does not have.
Video footage of Great spotted woodpeckers
Great spotted woodpecker nesting and breeding habits
The nest of the Great spotted woodpecker is in an excavated hole in a tree, which may be a rotting tree or sound, and usually at least two metres above the ground. Both sexes excavate the hole, though no actual nest is built inside it. The female Great spotted woodpecker does most of the incubation, with both parents bringing food to the young. Great spotted woodpeckers have just one brood per year with a clutch size of between five and seven eggs.
Great spotted woodpecker history and population trends
The long term population trend of the Great spotted woodpecker has been one of rapid increase since the 1970s. In particular this was noticeable in England, with Dutch Elm Disease being a key reason initially as it provided a huge increase in dead and dying wood which, in turn, provided more food in the form of wood-boring insects. In addition, it is thought that the provision of more food put out in gardens has probably increased winter survival rates. Great spotted woodpeckers have also increased their range northwards in Scotland since the mid 20th century, which could partly be down to maturing conifer plantations and standing dead wood which often occurs in them.
Behaviour traits of Great spotted woodpeckers
Great spotted woodpeckers are a very interesting species to observe and in a number of ways. For example, when approached, and if on a trunk or branch, the bird will often move to the back so it cannot be seen – and repeatedly does so if the person follows its movement around. To extract seeds from pine cones, the bird will wedge the cone into a crevice on a tree in order to chisel out the seeds. Drumming on trees is perhaps the behaviour most associated with the species – which the male does to attract a mate and signal its territory – with the sound being audible for up to 400 metres away. Watching the Great spotted woodpecker drumming, or indeed hammering its bill into a trunk to excavate a nesting hole or to get at wood-boring insects and their larvae, you’d think it would be highly damaging to the bird. Indeed, if, hypothetically, a human tried the same, they would get instant concussion if the same level of force were used. But the Great spotted woodpecker has evolved extraordinary shock-absorbing mechanisms within its skull to ensure its brain is unaffected by the impacts.
Great spotted woodpecker diet and food
The Great spotted woodpecker’s primary food is wood-boring insects, larvae, spider, seeds and nuts. In gardens, the species is relatively easily attracted by peanuts in mesh hanging feeders, suet blocks and suet balls in cages, and will even cling precariously onto hanging tube feeders to get at sunflower hearts. Great spotted woodpeckers will also take live mealworms from dish feeders, and especially when they have young in the nest which they’ll take the live mealworms back to.
What should I feed Great spotted woodpeckers?
We recommend the following products to help attract Great spotted woodpeckers to your garden.
Bird Food
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Great spotted woodpeckers eat peanuts?
Yes, Great spotted woodpeckers do eat peanuts, which is one of the best foods to attract them to gardens. The peanuts must be fed from a mesh feeder, which is ideally hung from a branch or from a feeding station.
What trees do woodpeckers go on?
Great spotted woodpeckers don't use a specific species of tree, but they do favour larger trees and especially those which are dead or have dead branches. This is because decaying wood holds wood-boring invertebrates, which are the Great spotted woodpeckers principle food – hence the word ‘woodpecker’.
What is the best time of day to see woodpeckers?
Woodpeckers are active throughout the day, though like most species of bird they are especially active first thing in the morning.
Do woodpeckers stay around all year?
Yes, Great spotted woodpeckers in the UK stay here all year and do not migrate.
What kind of bird feeder is best for woodpeckers?
If feeding peanuts or suet pellets, which can also be mixed together, then a mesh feeder is best for Great spotted woodpeckers. If feeding suet balls or blocks, then a suitable cage feeder is needed.