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Dendrocopos medius


Dendrocopos medius
Photo Information
Copyright: Arunas Eismantas (Aukstaitis) Silver Note Writer [C: 0 W: 0 N: 161] (846)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-14
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D80
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-12-13 9:52
Viewed: 968
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius) is a European woodpecker belonging to the genus Dendrocopos.

The Middle Spotted Woodpecker is 20-22 cm long and has plumage similar to the Great Spotted Woodpecker. As with that species the upperparts are predominantly black with white oval wing patches and white barring on the wings, and the underparts are white. The main differences are a red crown, lack of a black moustachial stripe, a pink vent, and dark streaks on the flanks.

Although only slightly smaller than the Great Spotted Woodpecker, it appears smaller due to its short, slender bill and more rounded, pale head. It can also be confused with the Syrian Woodpecker (particularly juveniles), being told from this by the smaller bill, and the red crown not having narrow black sides.

The Middle Spotted Woodpecker occurs only in Europe and southwest Asia, from northern Spain and France east to Poland and Ukraine, and south to central Italy (where local), the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and the Caucasus. Due to its sedentary nature it has never been recorded in Great Britain. It prefers deciduous forest regions, especially areas with old oak, hornbeam and elm, and a patchwork of clearings, pasture and dense woodland.

Behaviourally it likes to feed high in the trees, moving constantly and making a good view difficult. In the breeding season it excavates a nest hole about 5cm wide in a decaying tree trunk or thick branch. It lays four to seven eggs and incubates for 11-14 days.

The Middle Spotted Woodpecker lives predominantly on insects as well as their larvae, which it finds by picking them from branches and twigs rather than hacking them from beneath the bark. It will also feed on tree sap. It is rarely heard drumming, and never for territorial purposes, which it asserts by song; a slow,nasal gvayk gvayk gvayk gvayk gvayk. Calls include a fast kik kekekekek.
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Arunas,
Beautiful capture; great pose from bird.
The Woodpecker is depicted very well; nice colors and sharpness.
Well done
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • odin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 183 W: 1 N: 207] (1157)
  • [2006-12-13 10:21]

Nice woodpecker Arunas, great composition, I like the posing style of the birds. Well done
Sébastien

  • Great 
  • takos1 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 264 W: 25 N: 206] (2599)
  • [2006-12-13 10:29]

Ottima foto, Arunas!
Belli i dettagli ed i colori, bravo!

Ciao e grazie.
Franco

bonjour
cette photho est tres jolie,dommage que vous ne pretiez pas attention a celles des autres.
laurent

Hello Arunas!
I like a lot your composition here!
The POV used is so interesting, it seems the bird is inspecting you...
The bird details are sharpen and very clear.
The color is well saturated, including the bark and the green moss over it.
Very well done,
JM

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
  • [2006-12-13 11:50]

Hi Arunas,
I don't think I've seen this one before.
Excellent capture! Nice composition and pose!
Dave

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 856 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-12-13 13:31]

Hello Arunas , A Very good shot from woody , good compositie colours pose pov and bg , Greetings Teunie .

Hi Arunas,

exellent shot of this woodpecker
Good sharpness, composition, colours, POV and DOF

TFS Thijs

  • Great 
  • Ken52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 640 W: 98 N: 1241] (4189)
  • [2006-12-13 23:04]

The background seems a little overexposed but the outstanding colors and detail of the woodpecker more than make up for it! Excellent eye contact and overall composition!

Hi Arunas,
This is just gorgeous.
So fine capture with wondeful color, POV, composition, and DOF.
TFS
Richard
See you later :-)

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