Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker Facts
| Size | 9-10 inches (23-26 cm) |
| Speed | Up to 15 mph (24 km/h) |
| Weight | 2-3 ounces (60-90 g) |
| Lifespan | 6-11 years |
| Food | Insects, seeds, nuts |
| Predators | Birds of prey, hawks |
| Habitat | Europe, Asia |
| Order | Piciformes |
| Family | Woodpeckers |
| Scientific name | Dendrocopos major |
| Characteristics | Black-white-red bird, drums its beak against trees |
Main Characteristics
The great spotted woodpecker is the most common woodpecker worldwide! It can be easily recognized by its black, white, and red plumage. Even if you can't see it, you know when one is nearby: while foraging for food, it drums its beak against tree trunks – up to 10-20 times per second and as many as 12,000 times a day!
Species
Biologists are not entirely sure how many species exist. Therefore, the number fluctuates constantly. It ranges between 12 and 25. Worldwide, particularly common are the downy woodpecker, the red-bellied woodpecker, northern flicker, and the yellow-bellied sapsucker (yes, that is actually its name!). The most well-known and common woodpeckers in Germany, besides the great spotted woodpecker, are the green woodpecker, the lesser spotted woodpecker, the black woodpecker, and the grey-headed woodpecker.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution
The great spotted woodpecker is very adaptable and is therefore widespread in many countries. It mainly lives in Europe – especially in Germany, France, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Great Britain, Austria, and Switzerland. However, there are also numerous great spotted woodpeckers in Asia and North Africa. Only in Australia and America are they absent.
Habitat
The great spotted woodpecker inhabits deciduous and mixed forests. It prefers oaks and beeches. Additionally, it is a frequent visitor in parks and gardens in urban areas. It requires old trees because many insects hide under the decaying bark, and the soft bark is easier to penetrate. The same applies to nesting cavities. It needs dead or decayed trees to hollow them out with its beak.
Way of Life
Woodpeckers are solitary creatures, except when they are raising their young. They are active during the day and spend a lot of time pecking at tree trunks in search of insects or carving out a cavity for their offspring.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
The great spotted woodpecker measures between 9-10 inches (23-26 cm) in length and weighs between 2-3 ounces (60-90 grams).
Colorful Plumage
The plumage of the great spotted woodpecker is distinctive and easily recognizable from a distance. However, only the males have the red feathers on the back of their heads, while the females do not. Both genders do have red feathers on their lower bellies, though. Otherwise, they are patterned in black and white.
Strong Beak
The great spotted woodpecker possesses a sharp, strong beak. For a long time, it was believed that there was a kind of soft, spongy bone between the beak and the brain, but that is not the case. More on this can be found under "Abilities and Senses". The beak is firmly attached to the head, allowing it to drill into wood like a stiff hammer.
Long Tongue
Great spotted woodpeckers have a long, hook-shaped, sticky tongue that measures 4-5 cm in length, which is twice the length of their beak. After they have drilled small holes in the bark, they insert their tongue to suck out the insects. They also sometimes use it to sip delicious nectar. When not in use, they roll it up and store it by wrapping it around their skull.
Protected Nostrils
When the great spotted woodpecker gets to work, it sends wood chips flying. To prevent these from entering its nostrils, fine feathers are located above them.
Behavior
Why Do They Hammer?
Great spotted woodpeckers hammer for one of four reasons:
- 1. They want to create a small cavity in the tree to nest.
- 2. They're looking for insects that live beneath the bark of trees.
- 3. They want to attract female woodpeckers. This is also called “drumming”, as they strike their beaks 10-20 times in quick succession.
- 4. They defend their territory, also through drumming.
Characteristic Flight Pattern
All woodpeckers fly in a specific pattern or rhythm: they flap their wings three times and then use the air conditions to glide for a while.
Senses and Abilities
Why Doesn’t the Woodpecker Get Headaches?
The great spotted woodpecker drums all day long. Each time it pecks the tree with his beak, it's like a collision at 15 mph (25 km/h). Yet, it doesn't need any headache pills. It also doesn't suffer from concussions. Why is that?
A Cushioning Between Beak and Skull?
For years, researchers believed that a spongy bone between the beak and skull absorbs the impact, thus protecting the brain from jolts.
In Fact, its Head Is Like a Stiff Hammer
Only since a study in 2022 do we know: its head is like a stiff hammer. Its brain remains unharmed for several reasons. First, it is very small. Second, there is little fluid between the brain and the skull. Third, rotten wood is a soft material.
Woodpecker Anvil
Great spotted woodpeckers have a clever technique for cracking nuts. While other birds hold nuts with their claws, the great spotted woodpecker wedges them into a crevice or hole in the tree. This way, they can’t slip away, allowing it to comfortably peck at them until they release the tasty seed inside. Such a crevice or hole is called a woodpecker anvil.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Woodpeckers face numerous threats. In the air, they are at risk from hawks, sparrowhawks, buzzards, tawny owls, and eagle owls. Their eggs and chicks are often stolen by martens, foxes, magpies, and crows.
Human Impact
Deforestation
Woodpeckers need old, decayed, or dead trees. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer ancient forests. Areas are being cleared, and fast-growing trees are planted instead to harvest timber. Additionally, the number of contiguous forests is decreasing, fragmenting their habitat and forcing them to fly longer distances.
Pesticides and Insecticides
When we treat our plants, shrubs, and trees with chemicals, we believe that only the pests will perish. However, this also eliminates the food sources for many birds. Many beneficial insects, such as bees and bumblebees, are also affected.
Conservation Status
According to an IUCN estimate for 2025, there are still 49-78 million adult woodpeckers worldwide. They are not considered endangered.
How to Help Woodpeckers?
If you have your own garden, try to leave dead wood and old trees standing whenever possible. It is especially important to avoid pesticides and insecticides, as they harm many other animals and the environment as well. If plants from the garden center or nursery are not labeled as organic, you can assume they have been treated with such chemicals. Stay away from them!
Reproduction
The Nesting Hole
The nest of the great spotted woodpecker is usually found in a hole 6-32 feet (2-10 meters) high. It prefers old, decayed, or even dead trees for its cavity, as the wood is softer. The entrance to the cavity is only about 2 inches (5-6 cm) wide. A self-made home is quite nice, but the woodpecker doesn't like to stay in one place for more than a year. It constantly chisels out new holes. The old ones are left for tits, starlings, and even owls (if the hole is large enough).
Raising the Young
Great spotted woodpeckers lay between 4-7 eggs, which are incubated for 11-13 days. The chicks are fed for 3-4 weeks until they attempt their first flights. Interestingly, young great spotted woodpeckers have red feathers right on the top of their heads – almost down to their beak. As they mature, the red feathers move further back to the nape of their neck.
Fun Facts
Bird of the Year
In 1997, it was named Bird of the Year in Germany.
In German Language
In German, the woodpecker is called "Buntspecht" ("bunt" = "colorful"; "specht" = "woodpecker"), because it has colorful plumage.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker Is Related To:
- Green Woodpecker
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
- Middle Spotted Woodpecker
- White-Backed Woodpecker
Animals in the Same Biome:
- Blue Tit
- Common Raven
- Hornet
- Eurasian Eagle-Owl
- Eurasian Goshawk
- Eurasian Jay
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Great Tit
- Microbat
- Marten
- Nuthatch
- Red Fox
- Red Squirrel
- Roe Deer
- Tawny Owl
Sources:
- „Woodpeckers minimize cranial absorption of shocks“ (https://www.cell.com)
- „Skull evolution in woodpeckers via articular innovation and allometric decoupling facilitates pecking performance“ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Video: 28 Facts About Great Spotted Woodpeckers
(Video opens on YouTube)
Recommended Videos:
All About Birds
