Photo: Иван Везенковић / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Woodpecker
Dryocopus martius
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) is a member of the Picidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 321 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Dryocopus
- Species martius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 321 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 321 g, with a wing length of about 23.8 cm and a tail of around 17.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 19.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Woodpecker?
The Black Woodpecker is a large bird that weighs around 321 g.
Where does the Black Woodpecker live?
The Black Woodpecker is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Woodpecker belong to?
The Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Black Woodpecker eat?
The Black Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Woodpecker migrate?
The Black Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Black Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Woodpecker's range?
The Black Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 19.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Picidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Woodpeckers & Toucans
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.