Order PICIFORMES | Family PICIDAE |

© Askar Isabekov

Distribution

It is distributed throughout Europe and northern Asia. It is largely resident except in the colder regions of its range. It is an inhabitant of woodlands and parks, depending for food and nesting sites upon old trees. The detailed distribution in Kazakhstan please see in the chapter"Races" .
Dendrocopos major Linnaeus, 1758

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Races:
Dendrocopos major major Linnaeus, 1758
Dendrocopos major tianschanicus Buturlin, 1910

No Synonyms

Description

Great Spotted Woodpecker is 23-26 cm long, with a 38-44 cm wingspan. The upper parts of the male are glossy black, with a crimson spot on the nape and white on the sides of the face and neck. On the shoulder is a large white patch and the flight feathers are barred with black and white. The three outer tail feathers are barred; these show when the short stiff tail is outspread, acting as a support in climbing. The under parts are buffish white, the abdomen and under tail coverts crimson. The bill is slate black and the legs greenish grey, The female has no crimson on the nape, and in the young this nape spot is absent, but the crown is crimson.

Biology

Common, by places rare resident. Inhabits old deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests on plains and in mountains up to 2600 m. On dispersing occurs in gardens, forest belts and very rare in open landscape with bushes only. Breeds in separate pairs in tree holes (asp, willow, birch, pine or spruce) at 2-20 m above ground. Clutches of 5-7 eggs in end April – late May. Female incubates for 13-14 days. Both parents feed juveniles, which fledge in end June – late July.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.
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Races


Great Spotted Woodpecker( Dendrocopos major major )

Dendrocopos major major Linnaeus, 1758

    On PM 4-6 white strips on outer webs not wider or little more widely than black ones. Bill thick and wide, large. Males wing length 136-148 (143) mm.
    Occupies northern areas of Kazakhstan from Ural valley up to Pavlodarskoye Trans-Irtysh'e, breeds also in Shortandy area, at Kazakhskiy small-hills territory and Zaysan depression, and also in Southwest Altai and Kalbinskiy Altai. Nesting also in Naurzum Reserve, in Mugodzary ridge (Urkach forest) recorded 12 and 23 June 2003. On dispersing occurs in Kurgaldzhino 25 November 1969, 18 August 1971, 8-11 May 1972.


Great Spotted Woodpecker( Dendrocopos major tianschanicus )

Dendrocopos major tianschanicus Buturlin, 1910

    On PM 4-6 primaries white strips on outer webs significant, almost twice, more widely than black ones; on secondaries white strips not narrower than black ones. Bill lesser, more poorly and thinner than major. Wing length of males and females 139-144 (141) mm.
    Occupies Dzhungarskiy Alatau, Eastern Tien Shan and Zailiyskiy Alatau ridge near Bolshoye Almatinskoye lake, where young birds collected 26 July 1971 and 17 August 1975. From 1999 occurs in Ucharal, Alakol’ depression, where a brood recorded 27 June 2002, but subspecies not identified (it may be White-winged Woodpecker, as bird not investigated in hands). On dispersion it repeatedly obtained in Almaty (1 March1964, January 1971, 17 January 1972), in Bortagoy grove (2 March 1961) and on Chokpak Pass where a male was ringed at 5 May 2005. As from this point to Almaty is 600 km, we think that it continue to disperse on west.

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