Great spotted woodpecker

The great spotted woodpecker is a medium-sized bird with striking black-and-white feathers and a splash of red on its belly. It lives across Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa, often staying in one place year-round. Known for drumming on trees to communicate, it also carves out nest holes and hunts for insects beneath the bark.

• Males and young birds have red markings on their necks or heads.
• They chisel into trees to find food or create nests.
• Some northern populations migrate if conifer cone crops fail.