Great spotted woodpecker / Buntspecht (Dendrocopos major)

Buntspecht in Wildert. 2024-08-31 10:29:52 Wildert

Observations

First documented observation: 2020-04-12 in Fehraltorf. Most recent observation: 2026-04-29 in Switzerland.

Description

Classification: Genus Dendrocopos (Dendrocopos); Family Woodpeckers (Picidae)
General: Most common woodpecker in Switzerland
General: Deutschland: Brut-, Jahresvogel
Vocalization: It's frequent drumming is easily recognized by its short duration. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-11 - 07-20
More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=22-23 cm, wingspan=34-39 cm, weight=70-100 g
Habitats: Forest

Similar species

Song or calls similar to: Ring ouzel.

Vocalisation

Song: Song: Other: ‘Drumming’ is the sound that Great Spotted Woodpeckers make by hammering their bills against dead wood 10-20 times over 2-3 seconds. The sound resonates in the dead wood and can be heard over large distances. This drumming acts as an advert and is used by Great spotted Woodpeckers and other woodpecker species instead of a song. [From the GardenBird web site]
Nabu: Manchmal, bei strahlendem Sonnenschein, fangen die Spechte schon im Dezember an zu trommeln. [NABU Vogel des Jahres 1997]
Call: Nabu: Das bekannteste Geräusch des schwarz-weißen Spechtes ist aber wohl sein kurzes, aber häufiges Trommeln. [Link]
In a sonogram I can see about 13 taps in just over half a second, but you can never distinguish so many. It's short but intense, and the second half trails off, especially contrasted with the constant drumming of the three-toed woodpecker. [[Listen here.]]
Song attributes: Melody: non-musical, fast, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz) Special sounds: drumming Singing season: 01-01 - 06-30
Great spotted woodpecker drumming ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC625181 buntspecht drumming.mp3 (drumming)


Calls: Typically it lasts 0.5 seconds, sometimes slightly longer. Contact call frequently hear throughout the year. A short hiccup "kek", sometimes in series. When excited this may escalate into a trill. [Link] 1: General: A chirping (that I couldn't associate in my mind with a woodpecker), repeated at somewhat irregular intervals of about a second
2023: klang in bird-song.ch Quiz wie eine lauter Haussperling
Call: Nabu: Der häufigste Ruf ist ein kurzes und spitzes „kix“. Ist ein Buntspecht aufgebracht, etwa durch einen Artgenossen, kann man ein schnelles Schnarren hören. [Link]
Great spotted woodpecker call

Great spotted woodpecker call ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC200059 Great spotted woodpecker call.mp3 (call)


2: No details but a Xeno-Canto recording. - but really OWN_VIA_BIRDNET
Birdnet 1937 - Great Spotted Woodpecker xxxx, also heard drumming - Great Spotted Woodpecker - Fehraltorf.

Birdnet 1937 - Great Spotted Woodpecker xxxx, also heard drumming - Great Spotted Woodpecker - Fehraltorf. Fehraltorf 2021-08-14 09:57:28 ♫ 2021-08-14 09:57:28 Source: BirdNet 20210814_095728 birdnet 1937 - Great Spotted Woodpecker xxxx, also heard drumming - Great Spotted Woodpecker - Fehraltorf.mp3 Fehraltorf (drumming)
FOK3 - ein Specht trommelt, welcher war das, ein Buntspecht? Dazu eine Zilzalp, evtl Zaunkönig, und unser Kursleiter, der das Trommeln erklärt.

FOK3 - ein Specht trommelt, welcher war das, ein Buntspecht? Dazu eine Zilzalp, evtl Zaunkönig, und unser Kursleiter, der das Trommeln erklärt. Switzerland 2025-03-22 09:08:40 Callers: Great spotted woodpecker, Eurasian wren🐦
♫ 2025-03-22 09:08:40 Source: Zoom H2n Switzerland (drumming)
Trommeln während ein Buntspecht ruft, im Wildert.

Trommeln während ein Buntspecht ruft, im Wildert. Wildert 2024-08-31 09:31:25 ♫ 2024-08-31 09:31:25 Wildert (drumming)
Birdnet 1937 - Great spotted woodpecker, heard slow drumming - Not analyzed - Fehraltorf.

Birdnet 1937 - Great spotted woodpecker, heard slow drumming - Not analyzed - Fehraltorf. Fehraltorf 2021-08-14 09:57:28 ♫ 2021-08-14 09:57:28 Source: BirdNet 20210814_095728 birdnet 1937 - Great spotted woodpecker, heard slow drumming - Not analyzed - Fehraltorf.mp3 Fehraltorf (drumming)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 1-8 KHz,