Woodpeckers

While our resident songbirds; the robin, great tit, chaffinch, wren, and blackbird bring the melody, our woodpeckers bring the rhythm. The great spotted woodpecker and their smaller, rarer cousins, the lesser spotted woodpecker can be heard ‘drumming’; hammering their beak against a tree to show off to potential mates and rivals. It was thought that the bones of the woodpecker’s skull have evolved spongy ‘shock absorbers’ to protect their brain while they drum with impressive force in bursts of up to 20 times per second - but a recent study has shed doubt on this long-standing theory.

Essex, Shut Heath Wood nature reserve, is a very reliable site to see and hear the elusive lesser spotted woodpecker in early spring, before there are leaves on the trees. Other good spots to try include:

Head out into the woodlands near you on a still, clear day. Ancient, broad-leaved woodlands are the best, with enough big old trees to give places for woodpeckers to nest. Great spotted woodpecker drums in short bursts that fade out at the end. The drumming of the lesser spotted woodpecker is higher pitched, in a longer burst that stops abruptly.

Great spotted woodpeckers are increasingly common as garden visitors: put out a peanut feeder to tempt one onto your bird table.

From seeing colourful wildflowers to spotting magnificent birds of prey, we can help you get closer to wildlife across the UK.