Great Spotted Woodpecker

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is one of the most common woodpeckers in Spain. They are recognisable by the characteristic sound they make when they hit the trunk of a tree with their powerful beak. They have very special plumage, with intense black and white colours on the back and black stripes on both sides of the face and neck, which connect to the chest, beak, shoulders and nape of the neck. The belly is white, turning into an extensive and striking reddish colouring down to the base of the tail.

Its long tongue is not only used for feeding, it also curls around the inside of the skull so that it also acts as a shock absorber when hitting the tree trunk.