Sunday 29 April 2012

Picid in Focus: Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

Female (note the grey, not yellow crown) Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus. Alpinus race. Photo taken in Lower Austria by Thomas Hochebner, April 2012.

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Habitats: Dying Spruce Forest

This photo shows a dying mixed spruce-beech-fir forest. After a fire or an avalanche (as in this case), most beech trees fall and the damaged, broken standing spruces become infested with bark-beetles, especially Ips species. Such forests are major feeding habitat for woodpeckers, especially Eurasian Three-toed Woodpeckers which subsequently invade and breed in high densities. Photo taken in the Austrian Alps, April 2012, Gerard Gorman.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Picid in Focus: Andaman Woodpecker female

Female Andaman Woodpecker. Male has red malar stripe and red fore-crown. Photo taken by Simon Walkley, Havelock. Andaman Islands, India, November 2011.  

Saturday 7 April 2012

Picid in Focus: Buff-spotted Woodpecker male

Male Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa. Note red nape, which females lack. At 14-16cm long this is a small member of the genus. Occurs in central-western Africa. Photo taken in Lake Mburo NP, Uganda, March 2012, Gerard Gorman.