Why no Woodpeckers in Ireland (1 Viewer)

[Sancho]

This probably sounds like a stupid question but are woodlands the obvious location to look for GSWs?

I´ve heard that they can be found sometimes in Britain in quite small copses, rather than the kind of dense mature woods they´ve been breeding in here in Wicklow. Maybe population pressure in prime woodland drives them into marginal woodland or smaller stands of trees? Just guessing.

 

[Vogeljung]

Might keep an eye here further up North to check for any random GSWs.

Probably wishful thinking to expect that one will actually turn up though.

 

[jurek]

Any woodpecker fan could also check for something obvious - tree holes.
They prefer to dig them in dead trunks or branches, especially in 'towers' or dead standing trees with broken-off branches.

I remember I refound one particular woodpecker hole about 10 years after I saw woodpeckers breeding in it (when I was a child, I saw GSW breeding just one or two feet above ground).

 

[Sancho]

Any woodpecker fan could also check for something obvious - tree holes.
They prefer to dig them in dead trunks or branches, especially in 'towers' or dead standing trees with broken-off branches.

I remember I refound one particular woodpecker hole about 10 years after I saw woodpeckers breeding in it (when I was a child, I saw GSW breeding just one or two feet above ground).

Thanks Jurek, I´ve located a few holes in the neighbouring woods that might belong to the local GSW, all in dead upper branches of trees. I was surprised to find that they make holes in quite thin branches. As far as I understand, a pair tends to make a few different holes, some for roosting, one for nesting, and others that never seem to get used. Do you know if GSW re-use the same nesting hole? Or if they tend to nest in the same tree/trees? Also, what is the average height of a GSW hole from the ground? (The local one this year was over ten metres).

 

[halftwo]

To quote Fitter/Richardson: "...usually at a height of ten feet or more."

 

[jurek]

Thanks Jurek, I´ve located a few holes in the neighbouring woods that might belong to the local GSW, all in dead upper branches of trees. I was surprised to find that they make holes in quite thin branches. As far as I understand, a pair tends to make a few different holes, some for roosting, one for nesting, and others that never seem to get used. Do you know if GSW re-use the same nesting hole? Or if they tend to nest in the same tree/trees? Also, what is the average height of a GSW hole from the ground? (The local one this year was over ten metres).

I'm sure many people are more knowledgeable than me, but GSW prefers to drill in dead trees or branches, frequently drills several holes in one tree esp. if dead trees are scarce, breed at very different heights (from human height to much more than 10 m). They rarely re-use a nesting hole, mostly when old trees are scarce. But in non-breeding season, they regulary use one hole to sleep in.

 

[Sancho]

Many thanks for the info, Jurek and Halftwo!:t: