©
© Marcel Burkhardt
Conservation programme for birds in Switzerland - Priority species
White-backed Woodpecker
The White-backed Woodpecker lives in large contiguous broad-leaved and mixed forests with a very high proportion of old trees and dead wood. It inhabits forests that are no longer managed, forest reserves, and extensively managed protected and commercial forests with a high volume of deadwood (over 50 m³/ha in parts of the territories). The species returned to Switzerland in the 1990s and now occurs in eastern Switzerland in beech and beech/fir forests between 500 and 1400 m asl. Natural forest reserves and unmanaged or extensively managed forests with a high proportion of old trees and deadwood are crucial for the preservation and conservation of the White-backed 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).
Habitat and food
©
© Michael Lanz
The White-backed Woodpecker inhabits large broad-leaved and mixed forests rich in old trees and deadwood, with volumes of deadwood exceeding 50 m³/ha in some areas.
©
© Michael Lanz
The focus is on lying and standing deadwood, which is searched for beetle larves.
©
© Michael Lanz
Forests that have not been managed for decades are important, as is protection forest management with conservation of old trees and deadwood.
©
© Michael Lanz
The White-backed Woodpecker inhabits large broad-leaved and mixed forests rich in old trees and deadwood, with volumes of deadwood exceeding 50 m³/ha in some areas.
©
© Michael Lanz
The focus is on lying and standing deadwood, which is searched for beetle larves.
©
© Michael Lanz
Forests that have not been managed for decades are important, as is protection forest management with conservation of old trees and deadwood.
Conservation programme for birds in Switzerland - Priority species
White-backed Woodpecker
The White-backed Woodpecker lives in large contiguous broad-leaved and mixed forests with a very high proportion of old trees and dead wood. It inhabits forests that are no longer managed, forest reserves, and extensively managed protected and commercial forests with a high volume of deadwood (over 50 m³/ha in parts of the territories). The species returned to Switzerland in the 1990s and now occurs in eastern Switzerland in beech and beech/fir forests between 500 and 1400 m asl. Natural forest reserves and unmanaged or extensively managed forests with a high proportion of old trees and deadwood are crucial for the preservation and conservation of the White-backed Woodpecker.
Birds of Switzerland
White-backed Woodpecker
To the species profile in the bird database
Project managers
Threats, activities and forecasts
Limiting factors and threats
Large, contiguous broad-leaved and mixed forests rich in old trees and deadwood, with deadwood volumes of more than 50 m³/ha in parts of the territories (20–120 ha), are a limiting factor. Risk due to shorter rotation lengths and the removal of cavity trees / habitat trees.
Breeding season
- Lack of large, contiguous broad-leaved and mixed forests with deadwood volumes exceeding 50 m³/ha.
- Removal of nesting cavities and habitat trees.
- Removal of old deciduous trees and standing deadwood.
Migration/ Winter
- As breeding season.
Necessary activities
Monitoring
- Mapping with audio lures every 5–10 years in distribution areas.
- In selected regions (e.g. Grisons, Glarus), mapping is sometimes carried out annually.
- Monitoring throughout range to calculate a breeding bird index is not possible due to the low probability of detection and the outlay involved.
Conservation
- Extension of rotation lengths.
- Benefits from forests that have not been managed for several decades.
- Extensive management and conservation of deadwood in protection and commercial forests.
- Establishment of natural forest reserves, old-growth patches and dead wood.
- Not felling known and potential cavity trees.
Research
- Gaps in knowledge of breeding biology and population dynamics remain.
- Habitat suitability and deadwood availability for the species in Switzerland unknown.
- Dispersal behaviour of young birds unknown.
Prospects for success and prognostics
- The species benefits from nature conservation in forests, and the conversion of coniferous forests to broad-leaved mixes is also beneficial, as is an increase in deadwood.
- Forests that have not been managed for decades are important.
- Protection forest management with conservation of old trees and dead wood is key.
- Conserve old broad-leaved, mixed and alluvial forests with microhabitats.
- Increasing demand for timber / shorter rotation lengths could reduce stands of old trees and deadwood.
Conservation measures and stakeholders
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
Communities
Forestry
Parcs
Preserve cavity trees
Cavity trees offer nesting sites for a wide variety of bird species.
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Cantons
Communities
Forestry
Parcs
Publications
©
© Marcel Burkhardt
Birds of Switzerland
White-backed Woodpecker
The White-backed Woodpecker is the largest and rarest of the black and white woodpeckers. Because of its special habitat requirements – natural forests with a great number of dying and dead trees – the occurrence of the White-backed Woodpecker is limited to remote and inaccessible forests. It has secretive habits and is most likely observed during the courtship period....
To the species profile in the bird database
