Lesser spotted woodpecker Dryobates minor

Features

The lesser spotted woodpecker is a bird the size of a sparrow, which makes it a dwarf within the family of woodpeckers living in Slovenia.

Species	Bird
Living space	Deciduous forest
Size	14 -16 cm
Weight	17 - 25 g

Description

The lesser spotted woodpecker measures only 14 to 16 cm from the tip of its short pointy beak to the tail end, and has a wingspan of 24 to 29 cm. Its dirty white belly and hips are dark, and the black back and wings are adorned with transverse white stripes. In addition to its small size, it is also specific for the absence of redness on the abdominal side of its body. The sexes are separated by the colours of their hats. The males have a red hat, and the females have a black hat, while the forehead is white in both males and females. The lesser spotted woodpecker is active during the day. It feeds almost exclusively on invertebrates, spiders, adult insects and their larvae hidden under the tree bark. The lesser spotted woodpecker searches for these small animals on small branches high in treetops, while other woodpeckers keep to lower parts of trees. The lesser spotted woodpecker only rarely affords some kind of fruit, but it is quite often possible to notice this bird in spring as it licks the tree juice that flows from the hazel branch it has made a hole in. The lesser spotted woodpecker is a fairly common species in Slovenia. It mostly nests between April and May, in holes that it makes in tree trunks. It lives in an open landscape with small groups of trees and shrubs, in old high-altitude orchards and leafy woods with old oaks. It also likes humid forests along streams and rivers. The lesser spotted woodpecker is present in Slovenia year-round. The easiest way to see it is in spring when trees are not leafed, and the lesser spotted woodpecker male marks its territory and attracts females by its calls and drumming.