5 things you might not know about the great spotted woodpecker

2 min read
5 things you might not know about the great spotted woodpecker

With their black and white plumage and scarlet cap, great spotted woodpeckers always catch the eye. Here are five things about them that sound like exaggerations, but aren't.

1. They drum up to sixteen times a second

Drumming runs at about ten to sixteen strikes per second, faster than any other woodpecker in its range, and usually in one-second bursts. Scientists thought for a long time that it might be a vocal call. It was only shown to be purely mechanical in 1943.

2. Their skull is built to take the hammering

That much drumming would be punishing for most skulls, so a woodpecker's head is built to cope. The hinge where the front of the skull meets the upper bill is folded inwards and braced by a muscle against impact, and the upper bill is longer than the rigid lower one, which absorbs much of the shock. Narrow nostrils keep out flying wood debris.

3. They hammer pine cones in a vice

They wedge pine, spruce and larch cones into a crevice and hammer them open. In the north of their range, nuts and conifer seeds can supply more than 30% of their energy in winter.

4. Chicks can wander 3,000 kilometres

Young woodpeckers often wander 100 to 600 kilometres from where they were born, and sometimes as far as 3,000 kilometres. They were lost from Ireland in the seventeenth century, and the first proven Irish nesting was in County Down in 2007.

5. They raid nests too

Great spotted woodpeckers raid the nests of cavity-nesting birds such as tits for eggs and chicks, which is why an entrance protector is a must on your nest box. They chisel holes up to ten centimetres deep to extract beetle larvae.

A little great spotted woodpecker folklore

Old names for the great spotted woodpecker include the witwale, eeckle, hickwall and woodhacker, and a group of them is called a descent. In some European folklore it is a guardian of the forest, and its drumming is said to awaken and protect the spirits of the woodland.

Some say the frequency and intensity of its drumming once predicted the arrival of rain or storms, and people say it is a symbol of good luck, determination and perseverance.

What great spotted woodpeckers like to eat, and where

Great spotted woodpeckers have adapted well to feeders, and love suet pellets, sunflower hearts and kibbled peanuts. All three are in every one of our seasonal blends. Offer them in a Little Lantern seed feeder filled with our seasonal bird food. If you have a nest box, an entrance protector is a good idea to protect other birds' chicks. If you are not sure which feeder suits your garden, our feeding quiz will point you in the right direction.

Want to keep track of the great spotted woodpeckers in your garden? Amidst the Birdsong: A Garden Birdwatcher's Journal is made for exactly that.

Want to read about more garden birds? See all the birds in this series.

While you're here

Because there's always something worth knowing about the birds in your garden.
Clare Cahill

Thank you for reading!

Clare Cahill is a bird enthusiast with a passion for observing and learning. While she definitely doesn’t have a formal degree in ornithology, Clare has dedicated hours to reading birding books and exploring nature, constantly expanding her knowledge and deepening her love for wildlife.

For Clare, birdwatching brings a sense of calm and connection to the world, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She believes that the more we connect with nature, the more we can do to protect and conserve it. Through her writing, Clare hopes to inspire others to take a moment to pause, look up, and appreciate the calm and connection that comes from letting a little wildness into our everyday lives.

About A Little Bird Co.

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    Birds have different dietary needs throughout the year, from nesting to moulting and surviving colder months. To support these changes, we’ve created seasonal blends – order a Seasonal Bird Food bag, and we’ll adjust the blend to match the season, making it easy to do something great for the birds.

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    With birds in your garden, you’re never alone - they’re the friends who always visit. Feeding them supports wildlife conservation while bringing joy and calm. Whether spotting a new species or simply watching their daily routines, just ten minutes a day strengthens your connection with nature and boosts your wellbeing.

When life feels busy, the birds keep it simple.

There’s something lovely about how feeding the birds becomes part of the rhythm of your day. A scoop of seed, a clean dish of water - and then a pause, just to watch who turns up. It doesn’t have to take long, but those moments can be surprisingly grounding. A little burst of mindfulness, fresh air, a chance to notice your garden as it changes throughout the seasons, and the cheerful flutter of wings - it’s good for the soul.

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