The Middle Spotted Woodpecker prefers forests with large numbers of old, rough-barked deciduous trees, in particular oak-rich forests and alluvial forests. It also inhabits minimally-managed or unmanaged forests with no mature oaks but with large numbers of other old and rough-barked deciduous trees as well as a lot of standing deadwood, such as alder swamp forests and beech forests. In Switzerland, the species occurs between 300 and 700 m asl in northern Switzerland (Thurgau to Jura cantons), along the southern foot of the Jura as far as Geneva canton and, more recently, in Valais as far as St. Maurice and in central Switzerland as far as Lucerne. Following a decline in its range from the 1950s, the species has been spreading again since 1993–1996.
Structurally diverse oak forests with a high proportion of old trees and deadwood are key to the preservation and conservation of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker.
©
© Marcel Burkhardt
Conservation programme for birds in Switzerland - Priority species
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Distribution and development
Schematic distribution
Schematic distribution during the breeding season (ochre), in winter time (dotted in blue) or during migration periods (dotted in vinaceous).
Breeding bird index
The graph shows the relative evolution of the breeding population in Switzerland (100 = mean value). Example: A value of 130 means that the population in the corresponding year was 30% above the mean value of the entire period considered.
Habitat and food
©
© Gilberto Pasinelli
The Middle Spotted Woodpecker likes to colonise woodland areas with large numbers of old, rough-barked deciduous trees and lots of deadwood.
©
© Gilberto Pasinelli
To create its nesting cavity, it prefers rotten wood near bracket fungi.
©
© Gilberto Pasinelli
Beech trees also develop rough bark in old age.
©
© Gilberto Pasinelli
The Middle Spotted Woodpecker likes to colonise woodland areas with large numbers of old, rough-barked deciduous trees and lots of deadwood.
©
© Gilberto Pasinelli
To create its nesting cavity, it prefers rotten wood near bracket fungi.
©
© Gilberto Pasinelli
Beech trees also develop rough bark in old age.
Conservation programme for birds in Switzerland - Priority species
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
The Middle Spotted Woodpecker prefers forests with large numbers of old, rough-barked deciduous trees, in particular oak-rich forests and alluvial forests. It also inhabits minimally-managed or unmanaged forests with no mature oaks but with large numbers of other old and rough-barked deciduous trees as well as a lot of standing deadwood, such as alder swamp forests and beech forests. In Switzerland, the species occurs between 300 and 700 m asl in northern Switzerland (Thurgau to Jura cantons), along the southern foot of the Jura as far as Geneva canton and, more recently, in Valais as far as St. Maurice and in central Switzerland as far as Lucerne. Following a decline in its range from the 1950s, the species has been spreading again since 1993–1996.
Structurally diverse oak forests with a high proportion of old trees and deadwood are key to the preservation and conservation of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker.
Structurally diverse oak forests with a high proportion of old trees and deadwood are key to the preservation and conservation of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker.
Birds of Switzerland
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
To the species profile in the bird database
Project managers
Threats, activities and forecasts
Limiting factors and threats
Semi-natural, species-rich mixed broad-leaved forests, with oaks, rough-barked mature trees, standing deadwood, of at least 10 ha (one pair) or 100 ha (ten pairs) are a limiting factor. Threat due to excessive felling of mature oak trees and too few oaks being planted.
Breeding season
- Lack of old, oak-rich broad-leaved forests of sufficient size (at least 10 ha).
- Removal of trees with bracket fungi or existing cavities.
- Removal of mature oaks and standing deadwood.
- Too few areas of oak regrowth for future breeding habitats.
Migration/ Winter
- As breeding season.
Necessary activities
Monitoring
- Annual mapping in the monitoring of common breeding birds (MHB).
- Targeted mapping with audio lures should be carried out at 10-year intervals in each of the cantons with the largest populations (as of 2019: AG, BL, GE, JU, NE, SH, SO, TG, VD, ZH).
Conservation
- Sustainable felling / preservation of old oak forests.
- Longer rotation times.
- Establish special forest reserves of at least 10 ha.
- Networking of habitats (stands of old trees).
- General conservation of old oak and beech trees as well as deadwood in forests.
- Regular regeneration of oak in the coming decades.
Research
- Gaps remain in knowledge about reproduction, survival, inward/outward migration.
- (Environmental) factors that influence these parameters and how the latter affect population growth.
- Source populations unknown.
- Scarcely any data on the dispersal behaviour of young birds.
- Reasons for population increase unclear.
Prospects for success and prognostics
- Species benefits from nature conservation in forests.
- Conserve old broad-leaved forests with tree microhabitats.
- Preserve old oaks, promote the planting of oaks.
- More mixed broad-leaved forests instead of coniferous forests beneficial.
- Increase in deadwood good for the species.
- Increasing demand for timber could reduce deadwood and trees with fungi, rotten wood, etc.
- Stable habitats and funding required.
Conservation measures and stakeholders
Preserve and promote oak stands
Oak trees are home to a wide variety of insects and are therefore an important source of food for birds.
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Cantons
Communities
Forestry
Municipalities
Nature conservation
Establish forest reserves
Special or natural forest reserves enable targeted measures to promote selected species or species communities.
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Cantons
Forestry
Municipalities
Preserve cavity trees
Hollow trees provide nesting opportunities for a wide variety of bird species such as tits and woodpeckers.
Forestry
Municipalities
Nature conservation
Parcs
Private individuals
Increase proportion of deadwood
Standing and lying deadwood promotes the availability of insects and nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds.
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Cantons
Forestry
Municipalities
Nature conservation
Parcs
©
© Marcel Burkhardt
Birds of Switzerland
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
The Middle Spotted Woodpecker is a habitat specialist which, in Switzerland, mainly inhabits former coppices with large numbers of old oaks. In the long term, it will only be able to survive if extensive forests with oaks as the main tree species persist. Unlike other woodpeckers, the Middle Spotted Woodpecker drums very rarely. Instead, a whiny squawk can be heard during the breedin...
To the species profile in the bird database
