Birds of Britain 



The general colour of the male is olive green, shading 

 into yellow on the rump and becoming greyer on the under 

 parts. The crown and nape are crimson, and there is a 

 malar stripe of the same colour edged with black. The female 

 has less crimson on the head and the malar stripes are black. 

 The young are mottled on the back and spotted on the 

 under parts with blackish. Length 12 - 5 in.; wing 6"4 in. 



THE GREATER SPOTTED 

 WOODPECKER 



Dendrocopus major (Linnaeus) 



Although it can nowhere be called abundant, this species 

 is widely distributed in well-wooded districts as far north 

 as Durham, but in Scotland it is a scarce bird, only nesting 

 very sparingly in the south, and in Ireland it is almost un- 

 known. A quiet and shy bird, it is rarely seen, keeping as 

 it does to the higher branches of tall trees, and when possible 

 keeping the trunk between it and any would-be observer. 

 In its food and habits it resembles the Green Woodpecker, 

 though it is comparatively seldom seen on the ground. The 

 call-note is a sharp, short " chik," but it makes also a peculiar 

 rattling sound by rapping its beak against a bough. This 

 sound, which is more often heard in early spring, has been 

 supposed to be made only at that season, but it may also 

 be heard, though less frequently, at other times of the year. 



In winter this species is much given to wandering, and 

 every autumn our local birds receive further additions from 



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