BIRD 6

So, we finish with yet another black-and-white woodpecker. This one is black and white with a red crown. Perhaps the most striking feature is the tiny, thin bill, which straight away implies this is a small bird, as the larger pied woodpeckers have long robust chisels for beaks. The next thing which you may notice is that there are no red or pink tones on the underparts. This should identify the bird almost on its own. The face is ‘open’ with no join between the moustache and the nape. The back pattern is a bit messy, lacking clearly defined shoulder patches. This is a typical Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and the red crown means it is a male.

KEY FEATURES †Tiny bill †No red on slightly streaked underparts †Open face †Red crown of a male