Gould observed 'In its habits there are few birds more shy and reclusive,...it seldom approaches the dwelling of man, but keeps to the topmost branches of large trees; occasionally, however, it deviates from this kind of life and descends to the pollard oak, the willow, or the fence-tail...' Gould described how the woodpecker hopped and rambled over the surface of trees, carefully scrutinising every crevice for spiders and insects, clutching the bark with its strong claws, and supported against the trunk by its stiff tail feathers.

The woodpeckers lay eggs in bored holes of decayed trees. The illustration shows the adult male with bright red on the back of its head (right) and the female (centre) with a young male with red crown (left).

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds Eurasia and northwest Africa from the Atlantic to the Pacific, north to the tree-line in Europe and Siberia and south to the Canaries, across to China, Burma, Vietnam and Japan; between 67°N and 20°N. Generally resident