Great and lesser
Photos: Kaarel Kaisel and Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
Lesser spotted woodpecker
| Lesser spotted woodpecker |
Väike – kirjurähn
|
Dendrocopos minor |
| Great spotted woodpecker |
Suur – kirjurähn
|
The lesser spotted woodpecker is a rather rare visitor in the garden, but when suitable it will certainly take a look at the bird feeder. In winter it keeps company with tits and they arrive together in small bands to our houses. The lesser spotted woodpecker is a discretely-behaved bird, just a shade bigger than a sparrow.
As for looks the lesser spotted woodpecker is much as a small clone of the great spotted woodpecker. The plumage is nearly identical; only the pink underside of the tail that is red for the big relative, and the black-and-white-banded upper feathers of the wings differ. The male of the lesser has a red crown, the great only a red nape.
Both favour deciduous and mixed forests, parks, gardens, cemeteries and smaller settlements.
Whereas the population of the more common great spotted woodpecker in winter is around some hundred thousand individuals, the number of the lesser spotted woodpecker is twenty – thirty times smaller.
Great spotted woodpecker on a chunk of lard
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