— WOODPECKERS (Picidae) —
WRYNECK (Jynx torquilla) - Torcol fourmilier
A distant member of the woodpecker family. About the size of a thrush, it gets its name from the ability to twist its head around. The call is reminiscent of a Green Woodpecker with sinus problems:
GREY-HEADED WOODPECKER (Picus canus) - Pic cendré
Closely related to the Green Woodpecker, and easily confused with that. The call has a more mournful, and squeaky timbre to it:
GREEN WOODPECKER (Picus viridis) - Pic vert
With its red cap, green back and black mask, this bird is a spectacular resident in wooded areas. Its laughing call rings out loud and carries far:
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos major ) - Pic épeiche
Probably the most common of the woodpeckers in Europe with black and white plumage and a very distinctive “KWICK” call being frequently heard:
MIDDLE SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos medius) - Pic mar
A less common woodpecker, mostly confined to mature oak woods, easily confused with Great Spotted but with a distinctive nasal advertising call:
LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos minor) - Pic épeichette
The smallest of the woodpeckers in Europe and easily overlooked, listen out for its high-pitched squeaky call:
BLACK WOODPECKER (Dryocopus martius) - Pic Noir
The largest woodpecker in Europe with beautiful contrasting black and red colouration and a series of far-carrying yelping calls.
THREE-TOED WOODPECKER (Picoides tridactylus) - Pic tridactyle
A rather discrete woodpecker of sub-alpine forests, not easy to find. It has an interesting way of life, specialising on bark beetles in spruce forests. It has a call very similar to a Great Spotted Woodpeckers and this article explains why, and how to identify the call.