CROATIA - KYRGYZSTAN JOINT EDITION, PROTECTED BIRD SPECIES, Middle-spotted woodpecker

Middle-spotted woodpecker (Dendrocoptes medius) The middle-spotted woodpecker is widespread in Europe and in the westernmost parts of Asia. In this area, woodpeckers inhabit almost exclusively the deciduous forests of warm continental areas, and its distribution is associated with the presence of oak or other deciduous trees with rough bark. It is extremely dependent on old forest stands that are gradually disappearing. It is similar to the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but slightly (10%) smaller. Unlike the great spotted woodpecker, its head is mostly red and white, the spots on the shoulder blades are smaller, the hips are clearly striped, and the lower abdomen and buttocks are pink. The feathers on the scalp are often raised in a crest. It often stays high in the treetops so it is harder to spot. Like other woodpecker species, the middle-spotted woodpecker is a resident forest bird that can be spotted throughout the year, and for survival it is dependent on the availability of food in a relatively small space. With its relatively weak, pointed beak and short tongue, it mainly collects insects from the surface of the tree and rarely looks for them under the bark. Due to such anatomy of the beak, it prefers old, diseased and dead trees and branches in which it is easier to get food below the surface. Their diet is almost entirely made up of insects. When moving around the tree it often hangs upside down, which the great spotted woodpecker does not do. Unlike the rest of our woodpeckers, the middle spotted woodpecker generally does not communicate by drumming, so vocal communication in these species is much more important than mechanical beeps. During the nesting season, it is often voiced by an inherent squeak reminiscent of the squeak of an ungreased wheel. Like other woodpecker species, the middle-spotted woodpecker nests in cavities it creates most often in dead standing trees. The ability of woodpeckers to create their own cavities is unique, and they are extremely important for the survival of a large number of other birds, mammals and other animals. Across the area of distribution, the number of middle spotted woodpeckers has dropped significantly, and in some Scandinavian countries it became extinct during the 20th century. The cause of population decline in almost the entire area of distribution is the large impact of forest management on the reduction of (old) forest area. The population in Croatia, estimated at 20,000-24,000 pairs, is one of the richest populations of this species, so its conservation is of great importance for the general protection of the species.