The White-backed Woodpecker is a black-and-white bird of forests with old and dead trees in Europe and Asia. It digs for insect larvae in wood, and its pale lower back and dark streaks on the sides help identify it.
Appearance
Appearance
At about 11 in (28 cm) long, it is a large black-and-white woodpecker with a pale lower back and dark streaks on its sides. Males have red across the crown; females have a black crown.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
mature broadleaf forest
woodland with dead trees
Range
It lives in parts of Europe and Asia, including Korea and Japan, rather than in U.S. forests.
Preferred conditions
Dead and decaying trees provide feeding sites and places to excavate nests.
Behavior
Diet
It digs beetle larvae and other insects from wood and also eats some fruit.
Activity
It braces against trunks with its stiff tail and drills into wood to find food.
Life cycle
Nest
It excavates a nest hole in a tree, often where the wood has softened or died.
Clutch size
3–5 eggs
Name and classification
About the name
The Amami Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos owstoni) is classified as either a of the White-backed Woodpecker or a separate species.