Great spotted woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

About

The Great spotted woodpecker is the most common woodpecker in Ukraine and the Carpathians. It lives in all types of forests — deciduous, mixed, and coniferous, as well as in old gardens and parks. It leads a sedentary lifestyle everywhere and only migrates to neighboring areas in poor years.

The bird is 22–27 cm long, with a wingspan of 42–47 cm and a weight of 60–100 g. Its back and wings are black with large white spots on the shoulders, cheeks are white, and the undertail is bright red. The male has a red spot on the nape, while young birds have a completely red crown.

The Great spotted woodpecker is heard more often than seen. It is a noisy bird with a sharp call of "kick," which it gives at any time of the year. From mid-January to the end of June, and sometimes in September, the forest is filled with its drumming: the bird rapidly taps its beak on a dry twig, 10–16 times per second, causing it to vibrate like a trill. This is how woodpeckers maintain contact in pairs and mark their territory. It was long believed to be a vocalization, and only in 1943 was it proven to be purely mechanical.

The woodpecker excavates a cavity 25–35 cm deep with an entrance of 5–6 cm and rarely reuses it, although it may nest in the same tree for several consecutive years. In winter, it feeds on seeds from cones, which it holds in a "forge" — a crevice in the bark. The Great spotted woodpecker is not listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.

Where in the Carpathians

fewermore26 052 records in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries: Slovakia · Czechia · Poland · Hungary · Romania · Ukraine · Austria · Serbia · BG
Mountain ranges: Börzsöny and Cserhát, Moravian-Silesian Beskids, Skole Beskids, Bükk, Volovec Mountains, Silesian Beskids, High Tatras, Slovak Ore Mountains, Żywiec Beskids, Bucegi Mountains
Altitude belts: Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sightings

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Protection and rules

Not listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ

Who is drumming in the forest in early spring?

Most often, it is the Great spotted woodpecker. From mid-January to the end of June, it drums very quickly on dry twigs — this is how birds mark their territory and communicate.

How to distinguish the Great spotted woodpecker from the Black woodpecker?

The Great spotted woodpecker is black-and-white, about the size of a thrush, with a red undertail. The Black woodpecker is nearly twice as large, completely black, with a red cap.

Similar species

In season nowBlack woodpeckerDryocopus martiusThe largest woodpecker in Europe, black with a red cap. Its large cavities are later inhabited by owls, pigeons, and bats.

In season nowEurasian nuthatchSitta europaeaThe only bird in our forests that descends the trunk headfirst. It whistles loudly in old forests and muds the entrance to its hole.

In season nowEurasian jayGarrulus glandariusA colorful forest bird with a blue 'mirror' on its wing. Its creaky call is the first to warn the forest about a human.

Where to meet it

Trails and peaks near which naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, iNaturalist), matched by altitude and habitat. Sightings are not guaranteed.

Sources

GBIF · iNaturalist · Wikidata · Distribution data: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY records), iNaturalist; names and identifiers: Wikidata (CC0). Text: Karpaty.rocks, checked 09.11.2026.