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Great spotted woodpecker
Reference image

Charles J. Sharp · Original image & credits · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Great spotted woodpecker

Meet great spotted woodpecker—one more extraordinary life to discover.

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A reference overview

The great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found across the Palearctic including parts of North Africa.

Overview excerpt from Wikipedia contributors · Great spotted woodpecker, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Excerpt may be shortened. Overview retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Source-linked

This overview is attributed to Wikipedia contributors and was retrieved on 2026-10-09. Retrieval is not independent scientific review.

Reference media

The picture has a linked creator and license. Extinct-animal images may show a fossil, specimen or reconstruction; a reconstruction is not a photograph of the living animal.

Scope and uncertainty

Map points represent selected regions, not complete ranges or live sightings. References and identifications can change. A linked source is not an expert certification.

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