Dendrocopos syriacus
The Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus) is a medium-sized, pied black and white woodpecker, often mistaken for its close relative, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but possessing distinct identifying features. Measuring approximately 23-25 cm (9-10 in) in length with a wingspan of 34-39 cm (13-15 in) and weighing 65-85 g (2.3-3 oz), it exhibits a striking plumage of black upperparts with broad white wing patches, clean white underparts, and bright red undertail coverts. A key field mark is ...
The Syrian Woodpecker prefers open deciduous and mixed woodlands, orchards, avenues, parks, and cultivated areas, avoiding dense forests. It is typically found in lowlands and foothills up to about 1,000-1,500 meters (3,300-4,900 feet) in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on beetle larvae, ants, and caterpillars extracted from wood and bark, supplemented heavily with fruits (cherries, plums), nuts (walnuts, almonds), and seeds, particularly in autumn and winter.
This diurnal species forages actively from dawn to dusk, often roosting in tree cavities overnight. Its foraging strategy involves scaling bark, pecking, probing, and gleaning insects from tree trunks and branches, but uniquely for a woodpecker, it frequently forages on the ground for ants and gl...
The Syrian Woodpecker is a resident species, non-migratory throughout its extensive range, which spans from Southeastern Europe through the Middle East to Central Asia. Its historical core distribution was centered in the Levant region (e.g., Syria, Lebanon, Israel), and it has undergone a dramat...
Least Concern
- The Syrian Woodpecker is named after Syria, where it was first scientifically described in 1841. - It is famous for its remarkable range expansion, having spread across vast areas of Europe and Central Asia from its Middle Eastern origins over the last century. - A key identification feature di...