# Middle Spotted Woodpecker (*Dendrocoptes medius*) The Middle Spotted Woodpecker is a colorful bird that loves to peck on trees. It has a bright red cap and a beautiful spotted back. These birds are great at finding insects hidden in the bark! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Middle Spotted Woodpecker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Middle-spotted_woodpecker_%28Dendrocopos_medius%29%252C_Parc_du_Rouge-Clo%C3%AEtre%252C_Brussels_%2849179578882%29_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Middle-spotted_woodpecker_%28Dendrocopos_medius%29%252C_Parc_du_Rouge-Clo%C3%AEtre%252C_Brussels_%2849179578882%29_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Middle Spotted Woodpecker has a vibrant red crown, lacking the black forehead and lores of similar species. It features fine barring on its flanks and a distinctive pinkish-red vent. Its black moustache stripe does not connect to the beak. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Piciformes - **Family:** Picidae - **Genus:** Dendrocoptes ## Interesting facts - Its drumming is quieter than other woodpeckers, sometimes barely audible. Wow! - Middle Spotted Woodpeckers excavate new nest holes every year! Wow! - This woodpecker prefers older, decaying trees, vital for its insect diet. Wow! - Unlike many woodpeckers, it often forages on smaller, higher branches. Wow! ## Special abilities - **Shock Absorber Skull:** Middle Spotted Woodpecker has a specialized skull that absorbs impact, helping them peck trees vigorously without getting a headache. - **Grippy Climber:** Middle Spotted Woodpecker can grip tree bark tightly with two toes pointing forward and two backward, helping them climb with ease. - **Sticky Tongue Snatcher:** Middle Spotted Woodpecker can stretch its long, barbed tongue covered in sticky saliva, helping them snatch hidden insects. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-22 cm - **Wingspan:** 34-39 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.085 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-8 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days ## Diet & Feeding Mostly eats insects and their larvae, especially from decaying wood, but also enjoys some fruit and sap. - **Primary Foods:** Beetle larvae, Ants, Caterpillars, Spiders, Tree sap, Berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Provides habitat, insects, and sap for the woodpecker. - **Hunts:** [Great Capricorn Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-capricorn-beetle) (*Cerambyx cerdo*) — Woodpecker preys on larvae in decaying wood. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Goshawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-goshawk) (*Accipiter gentilis*) — A primary avian predator of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker. - **Eaten by:** [Pine Marten](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pine-marten) (*Martes martes*) — Preys on woodpeckers and their eggs in nest cavities. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Middle Spotted Woodpecker? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Middle Spotted Woodpecker? 20-22 cm ### What is Middle Spotted Woodpecker's wingspan? 34-39 cm ### How much does Middle Spotted Woodpecker weigh? 0.05-0.085 kg ### How long does Middle Spotted Woodpecker live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Middle Spotted Woodpecker move? 35 km/h ### What does Middle Spotted Woodpecker eat? Mostly eats insects and their larvae, especially from decaying wood, but also enjoys some fruit and sap. ### Where is Middle Spotted Woodpecker usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Schönbuch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-schonbuch) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Hainich National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hainich-national-park) — Thüringen, DE · Park - [Pfaueninsel und Schloss Pfaueninsel Berlin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pfaueninsel-und-schloss-pfaueninsel-berlin) — Berlin, DE · Park - [Müritz National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/muritz-national-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Naturpark Rheinland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-rheinland) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Clara-Zetkin-Park (Leipzig)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clara-zetkin-park-leipzig) — Sachsen, DE · Park [View all places to see Middle Spotted Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/middle-spotted-woodpecker) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Middle Spotted Woodpecker: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/middle-spotted-woodpecker)