Dendrocopos leucotos
The White-backed Woodpecker (*Dendrocopos leucotos*) is a striking member of the Picidae family, easily recognized by its large size, typically measuring 24-29 cm in length with a wingspan of 38-42 cm. Its most prominent field mark is the broad, immaculate white lower back, which contrasts sharply with its otherwise black upperparts and black-and-white barred wings. The underparts are whitish with heavy black streaking on the flanks, particularly noticeable on the sides. Sexual dimorphism is ...
This woodpecker exclusively inhabits extensive old-growth deciduous or mixed forests, characterized by a high abundance of large standing dead trees (snags) and fallen logs, often found at mid to high elevations.
Primarily feeds on larvae of wood-boring beetles and moths, extracted from decaying wood, supplemented by ants, spiders, and occasionally berries or sap.
White-backed Woodpeckers are diurnal, spending their days meticulously foraging on dead and decaying wood, playing a crucial role in forest decomposition. Their primary foraging strategy involves powerful drilling and excavating into soft, fungi-ridden wood to extract wood-boring insect larvae, o...
The White-backed Woodpecker boasts a vast but fragmented Palearctic distribution, stretching from Fennoscandia across northern and central Europe, through Russia and Siberia, to East Asia, including Japan and Korea. Breeding populations are found across Scandinavia, the Baltic states, Poland, Cze...
Least Concern
- The White-backed Woodpecker is considered an umbrella species; protecting its specific old-growth forest habitat benefits many other forest-dwelling organisms. - Its specialized tongue can extend far beyond its bill, equipped with barbs and sticky saliva to impale and extract grubs from deep wi...