The Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) is a medium-sized bird. They have a distinctive black and white plumage and a red patch on its lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on their necks or heads. Found across the Palearctic, including parts of North Africa, this species is largely resident but may migrate in northern regions if conifer cone crops fail.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers peck at trees to find food and are able to excavate holes for nesting. They feed on seeds, insect larvae, and the eggs or nestlings of other birds. They typically lay four to six glossy white eggs in unlined nests made in living or dead trees. Both the male and female contribute to the incubation and care for the nestlings. They continue to feed them for about ten days after fledging.
With a large population and no significant threats, the great spotted woodpecker is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
