Each of us had the opportunity to hear the sound of a woodpecker. When you watch this nimble multi-colored bird, you are amazed how such a small body has enough strength to chisel a tree with such speed and zeal. What do we know about this feathered worker? Woodpecker - or not? Where does he live? What does it eat other than insects? How does it reproduce? The answers to all these questions, as well as photographs of a beautiful and useful bird, are presented in the article. Happy reading and viewing!
Appearance
The woodpecker family consists of 30 species of birds. They live almost everywhere except Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and Antarctica. The most common representative of this family in Russia is the spotted woodpecker. Whether he is a migratory bird or not, we will find out about this later, but for now let’s talk about his external features.
You can recognize a spotted woodpecker by its color: black and white body and wings, a red “cap” on its head and the same color feathers on the lower part of its tail. The bird's legs are short, not adapted for moving on the ground. But the structure of the limbs (thin, long, splayed fingers) allows the bird to cling well to the hooked, sharp claws cling well to the bark, which allows the bird to hold firmly on a vertical surface. The beak has a chisel shape. Thanks to this structure of this part of the body, the woodpecker easily breaks off particles of the trunk and chisels the wood. The speed of beak strikes reaches 10 times per second.
Where does he live?
Woodpecker - This fact is confirmed by all encyclopedic literature. But it cannot be said that this species of birds lives only in the forest. It would be more correct to note that this is a wild bird that lives where there are trees. In addition to the forest, we can observe spotted woodpeckers in almost every city yard and park. Birds of this species settle in hollows, which they hollow out in tree trunks themselves in order to lay eggs in them and hatch chicks. Is the woodpecker a wintering or migratory bird? We will learn about this after we read the information about what representatives of this species of birds eat.
What does a woodpecker eat?
This bird is omnivorous. In the warm season, its main treat is insects: caterpillars, ants, spiders, and various beetles. Woodpeckers living near water bodies can eat crustaceans and small snails. There are also cases when birds of this species feed on eggs and chicks of small breeds of wild birds (sparrows, tits). In populated areas, woodpeckers can be observed in landfills, where they eat food waste. In the cold season, the woodpecker, a useful bird, feasts on the seeds of plants, mainly trees. coniferous species. In the spring, representatives of this genus of birds love to pamper themselves with birch sap. They poke a hole in it until the sweet liquid starts to drip, and then they drink it.
How does a woodpecker winter?
From the information presented above about what birds eat in the cold season, we can conclude that the woodpecker is a wintering bird. And this is absolutely true. The woodpecker lives where he was born. And if he was born in a place where there is winter, it means that he is waiting it out in that place. Migration of birds of this species can be over short distances, only during severe frosts. Then woodpeckers can migrate from the forest closer to settlements. It is very difficult for them to find food at this time. In snowy winters, it is almost impossible to find food for birds. It is for this reason that woodpeckers can fly to human habitation. Caring people feed these, as well as other wintering birds, by hanging feeders with food on trees and roofs of houses. With the onset of the first warm days, the feathered “informers” either return to their habitats again, or take root forever in the vicinity of a populated area.
Reproduction
So, is the woodpecker a migratory bird or not? You found out the answer to this question, and then we’ll talk about how their breeding season goes. At the end of winter, representatives of this genus of birds gather in small flocks. Males make loud sounds resembling crackling, thus inviting females to mate. When a pair has formed, they choose a tree and begin to arrange a nesting site. In April-May, the female woodpecker lays 3 to 8 eggs. The couple incubates them alternately. The chicks appear on the 15th day. For another month, the babies remain in the hollow, where the male and female bring food. By the end of July, the fledged chicks begin to learn to fly, but before that they independently emerge from the hollow and move along the tree, tightly clinging to the bark with their sharp claws. Parent woodpeckers take care of their children until the end of summer, until they learn to fly confidently and get their own food. After this, a period begins when all representatives of the feathered family fly away, and each of them begins to live separately. Next spring the breeding cycle begins again.
In a conversation about whether a woodpecker is a migratory bird or not, how this representative of the bird world lives and what it eats, I would like to remember another of its names - forest orderly. Why is it called that way? Because it destroys harmful insects - each of us will say. The answer is correct, but not entirely complete. The woodpecker only pecks at sick trees. On the young healthy plants you won't see him. When alive, he will only hammer in the place where it hurts. In this way, the bird eliminates the source of the disease and protects the plant from further damage. Here he is, a little feathered forest orderly!
Not a single forest can do without this bird. The loud and rhythmic sounds of a woodpecker's shot are heard throughout the entire area, this is especially noticeable in the spring. If you look closely at the trees, you can see it. This bird is not a shy one and sometimes flies to “make some noise” in gardens, trees under windows or telegraph poles. She is very remarkable and bright, it is impossible to confuse her with anyone else. But the species of woodpeckers may not be distinguishable at first glance. The Great Spotted Woodpecker is especially common in our country. Let's look at it in more detail.
Great spotted woodpecker: description
The fact that this bird is generally difficult to confuse with anyone is due primarily to its specific appearance and the method of obtaining food. The Great Spotted Woodpecker is often compared in size to the thrush; they are approximately the same. Its body length on average ranges from 22 to 27 centimeters; females are usually smaller than males. The weight of the bird is small - only 60-100 grams. It is not for nothing that the great spotted woodpecker received such a name, as it has a very bright, contrasting color of plumage in black and white colors and red (and sometimes pink) undertail.
Males and females can be distinguished by the color of the back of the head. All young individuals have a red cap on their heads; it disappears with age. remains on the back of the head only in males. The top of the head becomes black. The bird's cheeks, forehead, and belly are white; depending on the habitat, their shade can vary from bright and clean to beige or almost brown. The Great Spotted Woodpecker has a very decent wingspan, reaching almost half a meter (42-47 centimeters). It is also worth noting the shape of the tail. It is pointed (wedge-shaped) and has a medium length; very rigid, as it plays the role of support when the bird moves on its feet, typical for woodpeckers - zygodactyl, that is, the two front fingers are opposed to the two back ones. Average birds is about 9 years.
Great Spotted Woodpecker: Habitat
This is a very common bird with a wide habitat - from the Canary Islands to Kamchatka and Japan. Most often, birds lead a sedentary lifestyle, less often - a nomadic one. The latter is mainly associated with habitats that are unfavorable in terms of food supply, so birds are forced to migrate (invasion) to neighboring regions. The Great Spotted Woodpecker (photo can be seen in the article) is very undemanding about its place of residence and takes root almost anywhere where trees grow - from taiga forests to city parks. The surprising thing is that the choice depends not only on the country in which the birds live, but even on the regions. Thus, in Siberia and the Urals, the woodpecker chooses coniferous and mixed forests, but with a predominance of pine trees, and in the north-west of the country it prefers pine forests and spruce forests.
What does a woodpecker eat in summer?
Many people still remember from school about the so-called wolf and woodpecker. The bird prefers to settle in forests where there are many old and rotten trees. Woodpeckers have a very varied diet. The predominance of plant or animal food in it depends on the season. It is noteworthy that males and females obtain food for themselves in different territories, and sometimes even in separate forests. The spring-summer diet mainly consists of insects and their larvae. First of all, these are, of course, various beetles, including those that feed on wood, as well as their larvae: longhorned beetles, bark beetles, stag beetles, weevils, ladybugs, golden beetles. The Great Spotted Woodpecker makes 130 beats per minute with its bill. This is quite a powerful force; not a single bug or worm will go unnoticed. The bird's diet also includes butterflies, including hairy ones, their caterpillars, aphids, and ants. The Great Spotted Woodpecker does not disdain carrion if given the opportunity. It was also found that sometimes these birds destroy the nests of small songbirds.
What do woodpeckers eat in autumn and winter?
In autumn winter period predominantly plant matter, which includes seeds coniferous trees, acorns, nuts. Of interest is the method of extracting seeds from a cone. It is characteristic of all woodpeckers, but this type brought it to perfection. Initially, the woodpecker picks a cone, then carries it in its beak to a pre-selected place - an anvil, which is essentially a clamp or crevice in the upper part of a tree trunk. The bird hits the cone with all its force with its beak, and then starts eating - pecking off the scales and extracting the seeds. One Great Spotted Woodpecker can keep about 50 of these anvils, but usually uses two or three. Therefore, at the end of winter, a whole pile of cones and scales can accumulate under one tree.
When is mating season for woodpeckers?
These birds are characterized by monogamy. They reach sexual maturity by the end of the first year of their life. It is noteworthy that couples can remain together after the end of the mating season until next spring. Either they break up and spend the winter separately, but next year are reunited again.
The behavior of birds during the mating season is very remarkable. Its first signs appear in late February - early March and continue increasing until the middle of the first spring month. The birds begin to choose a mate. Males are extremely noisy, talk loudly and scream aggressively. Females respond to them, but less noticeably. Around mid-May, when the pairs have already decided, nest construction begins.
Woodpecker nesting
The tree in which the hollow will be located is chosen by the male. It should not be rotten, but with soft wood (for example, aspen or alder, less often oak or birch, larch).
The Great Spotted Woodpecker (photo above), living in deciduous forests, prefers to make a new hollow every year. If its habitat is dense conifers, then the bird returns to its old state. The hollow, as a rule, is located at a height of up to eight meters and has a depth of about 25-35 cm, and a diameter of approximately 10. Construction is mainly carried out by the male, and the female only sometimes replaces it; it takes up to two weeks. Woodpeckers lay eggs in mid-spring, around the end of April. There are from 5 to 7 small eggs in a clutch white, glossy. Both parents take part in incubation, but at night only the male does. The chicks hatch naked, helpless and blind at 10-12 days.
Lesser and Greater Spotted Woodpecker: differences
- By the nature of the color of the plumage. In the small species, the transverse black stripe on the cheek does not reach the back of the head and is interrupted by a white spot. In addition, it does not have pink or reddish undertails. But the little woodpecker has a cap on its head - red with a black border for males and white for females.
- The Great Spotted Woodpecker and the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker are different by the nature of the sounds produced. In the first type, the fraction is very short and lasts about 0.6 seconds, includes 12-13 beats, but it is almost impossible to distinguish them, since they merge into one continuous sound. In addition, it quickly loses its sonority, starts loudly, but quickly fades away. The Great Spotted Woodpecker makes 130 beats per minute, its beat can sometimes be heard at a distance of up to one and a half kilometers. The sounds made by the lesser woodpecker are more similar to the voice of songbirds, they are more drawn out. And his fraction is also longer, but not as sonorous as that of the first type, lasting on average 1.5 seconds.
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker somewhat smaller in size, its length is approximately 14-15 centimeters.
- They differ in their preferences for choosing a habitat. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker prefers deciduous and mixed forests, the banks of ponds, and swamps. Tries to avoid dark conifers.
Does the woodpecker have enemies?
It would seem that such a bird fundamentally cannot have enemies, because, possessing a powerful beak, it can easily stand up for itself. But in reality everything is somewhat different. Although there is little data on attacks on woodpeckers by birds of prey, they still exist. They are mainly endangered by sparrowhawks, goshawks, and in flat areas - peregrine falcons.
Of the terrestrial predators, it is worth noting the marten and ermine. Even the nests of woodpeckers, which seem to be hidden and protected, are sometimes subject to destruction by squirrels, dormouse and (a species bats). It happens that woodpeckers are forced out of old hollows by starlings.
Adaptation of the woodpecker to environmental conditions
Almost all animals and birds have a certain set of characteristics that arose as a result of adaptation to factors in the external world. The Great Spotted Woodpecker is no exception. The features of adaptation to the environment are given below.
- Tenacious claws on the paws help to easily hold on to a tree trunk or thin branches.
- The hard, wedge-shaped tail prevents sliding down the trunk; it is better suited for climbing trees than for flying.
- The long, strong beak helps to pierce the bark of trees and make hollows in them for nesting, as well as to obtain food.
- The long, thin and sticky tongue helps to get insects from the most inaccessible places.
Great Spotted Woodpecker somewhat larger than the starling - the largest of the group of pileated woodpeckers; its average weight is 80-90 g. Body length is 23-25 cm, wing 16 cm, tail 8.5 cm.
Distributed very widely - throughout Western Europe and almost throughout the European part of Russia.
Like all woodpeckers, they climb tree trunks well.
Plumage color. The back, top of the head and neck, wings, tail and stripes from the beak to the back of the head are black. The cheeks, throat, forehead, chest, abdomen, stripes on the wings, tail and shoulders are white. The undertail is red. Old males have a red nape, young males have a red crown.
Biotope. Various types forests, but gravitates more towards coniferous and mixed forests.
Nature of stay. Great spotted woodpeckers are sedentary and nomadic birds.
Migrations. At the beginning of autumn, most of the young animals leave the reproductive area and enter the period of autumn-winter migrations. In winter, the spotted woodpecker wanders widely and can move along forest shelter belts far to the south. Only by the end of February do most woodpeckers return to their future breeding grounds.
Reproduction. The breeding season for spotted woodpeckers begins in April-June. At this time, characteristic current flights can be observed, accompanied by specific screams.
For nesting, the woodpecker uses up to 30 tree species and always makes hollows in dry or damaged trees. Average height location of the nesting entrance - 3.4 m. Dimensions of the nesting hollow: the depth of the hollow from the lower edge of the entrance usually does not exceed 35 cm, and the width of the nesting chamber is 13. There are 5-7 eggs in the clutch (size 2.8 x 1.5 cm), incubation continues 12-13 days. The chicks are fed on various insects, mainly ants. During the reproductive period, the Great Spotted Woodpecker often attacks the nests of small passerines and abducts the chicks.
It obtains food both from under the bark and from the surface of trees and even on the ground, on which it often jumps. The diet of the Great Spotted Woodpecker is very varied. It eats various insects, especially tree pests, and destroys many chafers. Significant place in nutrition in winter time occupied by coniferous seeds. His “forges” are best known for the numerous remains of pecked cones. In winter, the Great Spotted Woodpecker can also be found within large and small towns in the region, where it willingly visits feeders and even landfills.
It tirelessly taps trees with its beak all day long, and usually spends the night in hollows, in its nests, or in recesses specially hollowed out for this purpose.
By nature, the Great Spotted Woodpecker is a very lively and active bird; By the way, he is very grumpy and playful with other woodpeckers, and males often fight violently among themselves. Hearing the knock of another woodpecker nearby, the spotted woodpecker flies towards it and tries to drive it away.
In the spring, this woodpecker often produces a characteristic fractional knock, the so-called “drum trill,” which can be heard over a long distance. The woodpecker produces this trill by hitting with great speed its beak on a dry twig or the dry top of a trunk.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker is numerous everywhere and is therefore especially useful.
Literature:
1. Boehme R.L., Kuznetsov A.A. Birds of forests and mountains of the USSR: Field guide, 1981
2. A. A. Salgapsky. Birds and animals of our forests
3. Brief key to vertebrates. I.M. Oliger. M., 1955
4. Birds of Europe. Practical ornithology, St. Petersburg, 1901
5. Birds of the north of the Lower Volga region. Saratov University, 2007 Authors: E.V. Zavyalov, G.V. Shlyakhtin, V.G. Tabachishin, N.N. Yakushev, E.Yu. Mosolova, KV. Ugolnikov
Do these birds really harm nature, if they are useful, then why, and what types of woodpeckers are there?
Names and types
It is worth dividing all woodpeckers according to food specialization. Oddly enough, there are species of woodpeckers that do little or no tree digging. They are called low-drilling. Such gourmets, feeding mainly on ants, are gray and green woodpeckers.
The average spotted woodpecker can also be classified as a low-growing woodpecker. It gets its food from crevices and cracks in trunks, and catches insects on the surface of trees. But it rarely chisels bark and wood.
The small motley representative is a real baby among its relatives. It is slightly larger than a sparrow. Both of them differ from the average in that it is by crushing bark and wood that they find their main food.
It is worth mentioning such woodpeckers as the three-toed and black. Black is interesting because he sings much more often and for longer.
Spotted woodpeckers and their description
Great Pied
It is the size of a thrush, very brightly colored, and not at all shy. Due to his lack of fear of people, he was able to be studied well.
It is completely undemanding to the habitat, the main thing is that there is a forest in which there are rotten and insect-infested trees.
Red cap on the back of the male's head, white cheeks, belly and forehead feathers, strong wings black and white coloring pages - this is what a large spotted woodpecker looks like. Young females also have a cap, but with age these feathers turn black.
Great spotted woodpeckers fly beautifully, but their wings are of medium length so that they do not interfere with sitting upright.
The fingers are located zygodactyl - the two front ones are strictly perpendicular to the two back ones, this allows you to hold on as tightly as possible even on smooth surface. His tail is short, but very stiff. Serves as a jack for comfortable support.
Be careful, bugs!
A short but loud sound with pauses is a sign that the Great Spotted Woodpecker has found a nesting site for beetles or larvae on a tree and is making its way to them through the wood. Sometimes it feeds on the seeds of coniferous trees.
Firstly, in defense of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, we can say that since it has started eating seeds, there are few pests in the forest. If we compare the weight of pests and seeds that a great spotted woodpecker has eaten during the season, then the proportion of seeds will be ridiculously small. 
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Very similar to the Great Pied. It can be distinguished by its size and shape. It is smaller, but appears thicker because the average spotted woodpecker has a habit of keeping its feathers fluffed up. He is also more mobile. It often flies from tree to tree, which is why it has another name - fidgety.
The average spotted woodpecker has almost the same color as the great one. But his red cap occupies almost the entire head, and females also have this color on their heads, only duller; there is less black color in the plumage. The structural features of the body (the strength of the wings and tail, the zygodactyl arrangement of the fingers) are the same as those of the big one.
It is generally accepted that all pileated woodpeckers chisel trees to obtain food. But it is the middle one that almost does not do this. You can see how it quickly crawls along dry trees, collecting larvae and beetles from the surface. The average spotted woodpecker can hang on a thin branch (which the big and small ones will not do), looking for food. It is believed that the average motley has the sharpest vision among its motley relatives.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Small, the size of a sparrow, with a bright cap on its head and black and white plumage - this is what the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker looks like. The body is compactly folded, the tail is short, sharp at the end. The little spotted woodpecker's toes are of a different type. This is its noticeable difference from large and medium. Three fingers stick out forward, one behind.
This little one, unlike its large and medium-sized relatives, often has a hard time surviving. If the large motley representative cannot find pests in the trees, then it switches to pine needle seeds. Which is what the average one does sometimes.
But the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker cannot split the cone to get the seed out. And he, poor thing, in the harsh winter, when there are almost no larvae and beetles, has to crawl up the tree from bottom to top and look for cracks and crevices where food is hidden.
Crushing the bark with its small beak, the small spotted woodpecker sticks its long narrow tongue into the hole and hooks insects with it. Another feature of the motley baby’s tongue is that it is sticky and has jagged edges.
Of course, woodpeckers eat more than just pests. It happens that spotted woodpeckers destroy anthills. Birds make deep holes in trees, but we must always remember that they are the ones who destroy insects that are inaccessible to other birds. Only woodpeckers can gouge the bark and get beetles and larvae from the depths of the wood, which would turn whole forest into dust.
Probably each of us has met this amazing forest dweller while walking through the forest. And even if you were not able to see the bird, it can be identified by its characteristic dry, fractional knock. The bird's habitat is very vast and includes almost all regions of the earth where forested areas are present. This is explained by the fact that woodpeckers live exclusively in trees and never walk on the ground.
Forest bird woodpecker. Description, life cycle
For many years, scientists have been interested in the behavior and life cycle of birds. There were times when woodpeckers were classified as pests and were deliberately destroyed. But it soon turned out that this amazing creature is a full-fledged doctor of forest flora, because it destroys thousands of larvae and harmful insects that can lead to the death of entire hectares of forest.
Varieties
The bird belongs to the Woodpecker family, which includes more than 200 different types. A significant part of the representatives are found in forest areas North America, while in our regions you can see more than 10 species. Among the most famous are the following:
Description
A significant portion of woodpecker species are medium in size, with the exception of the tiny golden-fronted and small spotted woodpeckers, which weigh about 10 grams. The largest representatives, such as Zhelna, are capable of gaining up to 600 grams of mass.
Externally, the bird looks very beautiful. The plumage may have black and white colors, sometimes speckled. On the head there is a characteristic Little Red Riding Hood. The woodpecker is distinguished by its thick, strong and relatively long beak, with the help of which the bird easily hollows out a hollow in any breed. But in most cases, she prefers diseased trunks with soft wood.
The ability to climb trees well is due to the presence short legs with tenacious fingers. Most species have 4 toes on their feet, with the exception of the three-toed woodpecker. When searching for food, the bird tears off large pieces of bark from the tree, which helps other animals find food.
Habitat
As mentioned above, the feathered doctor of forest flora can be found almost anywhere where there is a forest. A significant part of the species prefers a solitary lifestyle away from signs of human activity. But in the absence of a food supply, the bird can change its place of residence and live in city parks or private gardens. For this reason, the woodpecker is found almost everywhere except the Subpolar regions and the Australian islands.
. It practically does not make seasonal migrations or long flights. The area of one adult individual occupies an area of about two hectares. If there is not enough food, the bird can fly several kilometers from its home. After such a journey he rarely returns. This fact is the answer to the question: is the woodpecker a migratory bird or not?
Many species are omnivorous and easily tolerate aggressive climatic conditions, so the need to fly to warmer climes simply not.
Features of life
A favorite pastime of all ornithologists and people who are interested in wildlife, is considered to be observation of bird behavior in different conditions. If you look at a woodpecker, he doesn't show any high requirements to the conditions of detention. In order to exist normally, it is enough for a bird to have access to insects that live under the bark of trees. The most pleasant habitat is considered to be the area near rivers, lakes and other forest bodies of water. This is due to the fact that in such places there are ideal conditions for insect colonies to thrive.
During the rainy season, these pests begin to intensively destroy trees, so the woodpecker has many important tasks. In addition to the main task of searching for food, the woodpecker can hollow out a trunk to create a new nest. He does this almost every year. But small species of woodpeckers, such as the woodpecker, prefer the nests of other birds because their beaks are not strong enough.
A unique feature of all woodpeckers is the ability to move through trees incredibly quickly. Even tiny baby birds begin their first independent steps not in flight, but while climbing a tree trunk. By nature, the bird has short legs with tenacious toes.
It's important to note that life cycle birds remains unchanged throughout all year round. In the cold winter, you can hear a local doctor hammering a tree trunk somewhere in the forest, making a loud sound.
What does a woodpecker eat?
The main condition for the presence of birds in our regions cold winter is the abundance of food. The non-migratory group includes only those individuals that are omnivorous and do not have high demands on the choice of food diet. In addition to the main food in the form of insects, woodpeckers do not refuse pine seeds, nuts and even acorns.
To get a nutritious larva from under the bark, the bird uses not only its strong beak, but also its surprisingly dexterous tongue. Its length often exceeds the length of the beak itself, and there are sharp teeth at the tip. In one season, the forest healer destroys a colossal number of harmful insects, which cause great damage to the local flora. Woodpeckers eat almost all insects that come into contact with them. This is about:
- termites;
- caterpillars;
- ants:
The bird does not refuse tasty snails. In the absence of such food in the cold season, the woodpecker can eat berries, And seeds different trees. If severe famine occurs, the bird migrates to cities and towns, where the food supply is much wider.
Interesting features of the woodpecker:
Based on the above, we can confidently say that the woodpecker is one of the most unique, interesting, beautiful birds that live in our forests, being their decoration.
And even though long years The woodpecker was considered a pest and was even exterminated en masse until scientists determined that the bird only hammered old, rotten and diseased trees. They are the ones who save the flora from many diseases, and also create homes for other birds, leaving their nests.
They also tear off entire pieces of bark and open passages for insects and other birds.