182 



BRITISH BIRDS 



with a touch of glossy crimson on the nape. It frequents woods, 

 hedgerows, and plantations, also pollard willows growing by the side 

 of streams. It may be met with in most English counties, but in 

 the northern counties and in Scotland it. is very scarce. In Ireland 

 it does not breed, although occasionally seen there as a migrant 

 in winter. These migrants come from northern Europe, sometimes 

 in considerable numbers, and are diffused over the British Islands ; 

 the birds of British race are believed to remain in this country 

 throughout the year. 



FIG. 60. SPOTTED WOODPP:CKER. natural size. 



Like most woodpeckers, this species feeds principally on insects 

 found in crevices of the bark and decayed wood of trees. In the 

 season he becomes a fruit and seed eater, and visits gardens and 

 orchards to steal the cherries ; and also feeds on berries, nuts, acorns, 

 and fir-seeds. He is, for a woodpecker, a silent bird ; his usual call 

 is a sharp, quick note, repeated two or three times. The most 

 curious sound he makes is instrumental : it is the love -call of the 

 bird, produced by striking the beak on ;i branch so rapidly as to 

 produce a long jarring or rattling note. 



The eggs are laid in a hole in a tree, not always made by the 

 bird ; they are six or seven in number, and creamy white in colour. 



