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Photo by Rudi Petitjean
Photo taken: Belgium

Dendrocopos minor

Identification

Photo by Pavel
Female photographed at Durankulak, Northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Distribution

A widespread breeding bird from southern Britain, France and northern Spain east across Eurasia to the northern China, Sakhalin and northern Japan. To the north breeds over most of Fenno-Scandia and across Russia except the extreme north. Range extends south to the Pyrenees, southern Italy and Greece and also breeds in western and northern Turkey and the Caucasus. More isolated populations breed in scattered parts of central and southern Iberia, the Azores and northern Algeria. May breed on Sardinia but status unclear, former breeder on Sicily.

Resident but may be nomadic and sometimes eruptive in the north and east. Breeding range has contracted in some areas and especially scarce in Iberia and North Africa.

Vagrants recorded on the Balearic Islands and Corsica.

Taxonomy

About ten races are recognised differing slightly in size and colour. Generally, birds with longer bills and wings and whiter plumage occur in the north and smaller birds with buffier underparts are found in the south but much intergradation occurs and there are few distinct boundaries between races.

Habitat

Woodland and forest containing dead and dying trees but favours deciduous trees and orchards, sometimes parks and large gardens, and tends to avoid conifers.

Behaviour

Vocalisation

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