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mirdam-aves:

Species | Black woodpecker 

The black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) is a close relative of the much more famous pileated woodpecker. It occurs in mature forests across the palearctic. It’s a non migratory bird with an expanding range and the sole representative of its genus where it occurs. 

Its populations used to decline, and in some few areas they still struggle today, but overall the species is doing fairly well. The restauration of forests in Europe is helping them, and many other animals, to come back and increase in population size.

Much like other woodpeckers, the black woodpecker has an adapted neck with strong muscles, which allow for endless hacking on tree bark. Due to the size of its large bill it can access prey fairly deep within a tree. The prey it hunts for is relatively consistent and predictable in this species. Usually it’s carpenter ants or wood-boring beetle grubs.

Photo credits: M K, Tris Enticknap, John Bacaring

(via typhlonectes)