INCREDIBLE photos show a handsome bird spotted by a Camera Club member.
Hereford Times Camera Club member, Pat Gorin, shared two photos of the distinctive great spotted woodpecker, which paid a visit to a garden.
According to the RSPB, the birds are usually the size of a blackbird, and have a distinctive “bouncing flight”, spending much time hidden away from bird-watchers.
The bird’s conservation status is under the green list, with around 140,000 breeding pairs in the UK.
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The bird’s diets consist of insects, seeds, and nuts, and can be found in woodland, suburban, and urban areas.
Weighing around 85 grams, the bird’s wingspan is between 34 and 39 cm, with a body length of between 22 and 23cm.
The Woodland Trust say the bird is not be confused with its relative, the lesser spotted woodpecker.
The lesser-spotted woodpecker is much smaller and has distinctive white stripes on its back.
In comparison, the great spotted woodpeckers have white cheeks and black lines, along with a black cap.
(Image: Pat Gorin) “Males can be identified by a red patch on the back of the neck. The beak is thick and powerful,” the trust says.
“They have a pale breast with black upper parts, and a bright red rump. Their wings are black with white spots.
“Great spotted woodpeckers are not as large as many people imagine, being slightly smaller than a blackbird on average.”
According to the trust, the bird’s beak plays a “key role” in its breeding behaviour.
Male birds use it to “hammer” against trees, making a sound which “proclaims ownership of its territory” and warns off rivals.
“Such activity would cause brain damage among most birds, but woodpeckers have a shock-absorbing skull that means they are not affected by the impact,” the trust said.
“The beak is also used to excavate a nesting cavity within a tree. Once the hole is ready, four to six eggs are laid inside in April or March.
“They hatch after around two weeks and chicks spend just over three weeks in the nest before fledging.”