Bird
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocoptes mediusMiddle Spotted Woodpeckers are black-and-white birds with red crowns in both adult sexes, streaked flanks, and pinkish coloring beneath the tail. They use relatively fine bills to probe bark and glean insects from mature broadleaf trees, especially oaks.
woodpeckermature oak specialistbark gleaner
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAnts, beetle larvae, caterpillars
Predators
- goshawks
- martens
- tawny owls
ThreatsLoss of old deciduous trees, removal of dead wood, forest fragmentation, and intensive forestry
HabitatsMature deciduous woodland, oak forest, wooded parkland, orchards, and floodplain forest
Life spanOften several years, with some ringed birds reaching about ten years
Classification
- FamilyPicidae
- SpeciesDendrocoptes medius
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Avoid playback and leave old trees, cavities, and dead branches undisturbed.
Responsible observation
- Identify: Note the full red crown, streaked flanks, and pink area beneath the tail.
- Watch: Scan rough-barked oak limbs for deliberate probing rather than heavy drumming.
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