Middle spotted woodpecker - Dendrocopos medius Linnaeus, 1758

Squad Woodpeckers - Piciformes

Dyatlov family - Picidae

Category, status. 4 - a very rare species, on the border of the range. It is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, 2 - a declining species, the Red Book of the Tver Region. It is included in the IUCN International Red Book, in Appendix 1 of the European Union bird directive, in SPEC (category 4 - species with a favorable population state in Europe, the main range of which is concentrated in Europe).

Short description. It looks like a great spotted woodpecker, but a little smaller, sides with dark spots, the top of the head in adult birds is always red, the black stripe under the eye does not reach the base of the beak, white cheeks are connected with white on the belly by a continuous strip, the abdomen is yellowish (2 ).

Range and distribution. Europe and the western part of Western Asia. Europe from northwestern Spain and the Pyrenees to the east to the southern part of Pskov, Smolensk, Kaluga, Tula, Voronezh, the eastern part of Kharkov, the western part of the Dnepropetrovsk regions, the eastern part of Moldova. To the north to southern Sweden, southern Lithuania, the southern part of the Pskov region (4). In the Pskov region recorded in October 1980 in Pechory (1).

Habitats and features of biology. The middle woodpecker inhabits various types of deciduous forest. At the same time, a clear preference is given to oak forests on watersheds, floodplain oak forests and lipo forests, and also settles in mixed forests, where the participation of oak exceeds 50%. Avoids high-stemmed forests, does not occur in purely coniferous forests. Not afraid of the proximity of human habitation (4). Biotopically plastic, with the expansion of the range, it easily switches to nesting in upland and watershed forests. The high conservatism of territorial ties is characteristic: pairs nest in the selected territory for 3-6 years in a row. The hollow hollows out mainly in aspen and oak; in laying 5-10 eggs, incubation lasts 12-15 days. Sedentary view. It feeds on ants, but is less specialized than the green woodpecker (5).

The number of species and limiting factors. At the beginning of the XX century. a very rare nesting bird in the Pskov province. One copy was mined in the Ostrovsky district (3). Throughout the 20th century there was no information about him on the territory of the region in the ornithological literature (1). The limiting factors are the reduction of the preferred wet small-leaved forests due to the anthropogenic fragmentation of floodplain habitats, gardening and dacha construction, and recreation in the floodplains of small rivers (4).

Security measures. It is necessary to carry out regular counts in order to identify the population in the region, identify nesting sites, and organize their protection.

Sources of information:

1. Bardin, 2001; 2. Boehme, 1998; 3. Zarudny, 1910; 4. Friedman, 2005; 5. www.zooclub.ru/birds/vidy/527.shtml.

Compiled by: E. G. Fedorova.

Southwest of the European part of Russia (1). In the Ryazan region, it is located near the northern border of the range. For the first time on the territory of the region, the middle spotted woodpecker was found in 2002 in the eastern part of the Oksky Reserve (2). To date, it has settled quite widely in this part of the reserve. The total abundance of the species in the Oksky Reserve, apparently, is more than 50 pairs. It may also live in other areas of the region, where, however, it has not yet been found.

Habitats and biology

The Middle Spotted Woodpecker prefers broad-leaved forests; in the Oksky Reserve, nesting is noted in the floodplain oak forest. During non-breeding time, it roams and can be found in mixed pine-deciduous forests, pine plantations, alder forests and other types of forest. Nests are arranged in hollows, at a height of 6-10 m, as a rule, in dry or rotted trunks and their fragments. It starts nesting relatively early: in early-mid April. Monogamous. The gouging of the hollow, incubation and feeding of the chicks are carried out by both partners. Eggs are laid on wood chips specially extracted by birds from the walls of the hollow. Clutch contains 6-9 white eggs. The chicks hatch in early to mid-May. Adult birds feed them mainly on caterpillars of moths and leafworms, as well as spiders and beetle larvae. Nestlings leave hollows at the age of 21-23 days (1-3).

Limiting factors and threats

It is not entirely clear, perhaps, that the marginal position of the region and the cutting down of old-growth broad-leaved forests are of significant importance. In general, the last decade is characterized by an increase in the number and distribution of the species.

Protective measures taken and necessary

The species is included in Appendix II of the Berne Convention. The habitats of the species are protected in the Oksky Reserve. It is necessary to organize the nature monuments "Upper Sheikino" and "Urochishe Korchazhnoye", located on the territory of the buffer zone of the Oksky Reserve and being the habitat of this and other rare species. The middle spotted woodpecker was first listed in the Red Book of the Ryazan region.

Middle spotted woodpecker- a very mobile, energetic, cautious bird, smaller than a large woodpecker. Body length 21 cm, wing 13 cm, tail 8 cm.

Spreading. Europe and the western part of Asia Minor. Europe from northwestern Spain and the Pyrenees to the east to the southern part of Pskov, Smolensk, Kaluga, Tula, Voronezh, the eastern part of Kharkov, the western part of the Dnepropetrovsk regions, the eastern part of Moldova. To the north to southern Sweden, southern Lithuania, the southern part of the Pskov region.

The beak of the middle spotted woodpecker is weak, the crown is colored red in males and females. The back and rump are black. The wings are black, with a large white spot made up of medium and large cover feathers, and with 6-7 large transverse stripes (from white spots on the large flight feathers). The top of the head and undertail are red. The underside of the body is dirty yellowish-white, with sparse longitudinal dark streaks on the sides. The sides of the head and neck are white, along the sides of the neck there is a wide oblong black spot. The throat and craw are white, the chest is yellowish, the belly and undertail are pink-red; black dots on the sides of the chest. The beak is bluish, the legs are dark gray. The female differs from the male only in a less bright color of the vertex, a slightly yellowish occiput, and a large number of black specks on the sides of the chest. Young birds differ from the female only in a paler shade of red parts.

Biotope. The middle woodpecker inhabits various types of deciduous forest. At the same time, clear preference is given to oak forests on watersheds, floodplain oak forests and lipo forests, and also settles in mixed forests, where the participation of oak exceeds 50%. Avoids high-stemmed forests, does not occur in purely coniferous forests. Not afraid of the proximity of human habitation.

The nature of the stay. Rare sedentary, partly nomadic species.

reproduction. The beginning of the mating season in the middle spotted woodpecker is timed to the first days of March and is expressed in the active mating of several males and females at once. During February - April, current birds move over a relatively large area (up to 2-3 km2), and only during the construction of a hollow and copulations, a pair chooses a permanent site. The nest usually arranges at a high altitude; clutch, consisting of willows 5-6 eggs, is already in April. The female lays eggs every day, but dense incubation begins, obviously, only from the 3rd egg, both partners participate in incubation. Young birds are less wary than older birds. Broods are supplemented by parents and after 9-12 days break up, however, individual fledglings continue to follow their parents for another 22-24 days.

The food of the middle woodpecker is made up of various insects, and of plant matter, mainly nuts and acorns. Significantly less wood chipping.

His movements are very fast and dexterous, which justifies his Russian name "fidgety woodpecker". A useful forest bird that deserves protection and attraction.

Variability is manifested in the variation in the degree of development of red and yellow colors on the underside of the body, in the degree of development of dark streaks on the sides of the body, in the details of the tail pattern. There are 4 subspecies.

Literature:
1. Beme R. L., Kuznetsov A. A. Birds of forests and mountains of the USSR: Field guide, 1981
2. Birds of Europe. Practical ornithology, St. Petersburg, 1901
3. Synopsis of the ornithological fauna of the USSR. L. S. Stepanyan. Moscow, 1990
4. Birds of the north of the Lower Volga region. Saratov University, 2007 Authors: E.V. Zavialov, G.V. Shlyakhtin, V.G. Tabachishin, N.N. Yakushev, E.Yu. Mosolova, KV. Ugolnikov

Appearance and behavior. Slightly smaller (body length 20–22 cm, wingspan 34–35 cm, weight 50–80 g). The beak is relatively small. Differs in high mobility.

Description. On the folded wing there is an oblong white spot. The chest and front of the belly are off-white with a yellow tint in the lower part, dotted with dark longitudinal streaks. Black on the sides of the head and neck Y-shaped spot that does not connect with either the base of the beak or the black nape. The back of the belly and undertail are bright pink. In the male, the crown is bright red, in the female it is slightly paler, with an indistinct posterior margin. There are no seasonal variations in plumage. In young birds, the color of the plumage is duller, the crown of the head is reddish in front (in males it is brighter than in females). It differs from the big motley with a red crown, separation of the “whiskers” from the neck, dark streaks on the sides of the body. It differs from young woodpeckers of these species primarily in the absence of black whiskers and a black outline on the sides of the cap. It differs from it by its significantly smaller size, white spot on the folded wing, black back, from - by its large size, white spot on the folded wing, reddish undertail and black back.

Voice. Unlike other spotted woodpeckers, the middle woodpecker very rarely makes a drum roll. Its replacement during the current is the characteristic cry “ uh... uh...”, comparable to groans. For everyday contact, a series of calls " ki-ki-ki...", less often used quieter and softer" kuk».

Distribution, status. The range covers a significant part of Europe and the western part of Western Asia. In European Russia, it is distributed in the west of the forest and forest-steppe zones, including Moscow, Ryazan, Penza and Saratov regions in the north, Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Rostov and Volgograd regions in the south.

A smaller distribution area includes the North Caucasus and Ciscaucasia, where this species is represented by a special race D.m. caucasicus, characterized by a bright yellow color on the underside of the chest and upper belly, as well as a brighter red undertail. Rare in the northern part of its range, common in the Caucasus. Leads a predominantly sedentary lifestyle.

Lifestyle. Inhabits mainly old-growth broad-leaved forests with dominance of oak. The hollow arranges in the trunks and thick branches of dead or drying trees, mainly in aspen, oak and alder. Both parents take part in building the hollow, incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The chicks hatch naked and blind. In the warm season, it feeds on openly living insects, which it collects from the surface of leaves and trunks. During the rest of the year, it searches for insects in the rough folds of the bark. In spring, it willingly drinks maple and birch sap from holes punched in the bark. Breeds once per year.

General characteristics and field signs

A typical woodpecker of medium size (length 20-22 cm), somewhat smaller than the great spotted woodpecker. In general, it is similar to the latter species, especially with its underyearlings, as well as the middle spotted woodpecker, which has a red cap on the crown. It differs from the great spotted woodpecker by a solid bright red cap in both sexes, on the back of the head turning into a small tuft, which, moreover, the bird often ruffles, a yellow tint on the light parts of the plumage of the chest and the front of the belly, a wide brownish-dirty-white stripe on the forehead and anterior part of vertex, pink lower part of belly, distinct and abundant black streaks on sides of body, less development of white on shoulder patches and wing coverts, discontinuity of two black stripes on white extreme helmsmen and their frequent orientation not across, but along rachis. It differs from the white-backed woodpecker by its smaller size, the yellow color of the front of the belly, the absence of white on the back of the back; from the small spotted woodpecker - much larger, with a yellow tint on the front of the belly.

Young birds are more dull in color than adults; the stripe on the forehead and anterior part of the crown is noticeably wider.

A very mobile bird. The trill “kick-kick-kirrikikik”, the “kick” cry is softer and quieter than that of the great spotted woodpecker; individual beats are clearly audible in the drum roll, and in duration it is similar to the shot of a great spotted woodpecker. The chiselling is weaker and less sharp.

Description

Coloring. Adult male. The forehead and anterior part of the crown are off-white with a brownish tint. The top of the head is bright red. The sides of the head (“cheeks”), the superciliary strip that separates the red cap from the eyes, the lower part of the head are white. The lower part of the head (chin section, throat) is separated from the sides by a brown stripe running from the base of the mandible to a black spot on the sides of the neck. The upper part of the neck (neck) and the upper part of the body are black. On the sides of the neck along a large white spot, connecting with a dirty white chest, which has a yellowish coating. Belly in the upper part with a well-defined yellow tint, changing to pink in the lower part of the belly. The undertail and the very bottom of the belly are pink-red, in D. m. caucasicus brick-red undertail. The sides of the body are whitish-pink with dark, sometimes indistinct streaks on the trunk. The primaries are black with white spots on the inner and outer webs, but on the inner webs they barely reach the middle of them. Often (especially in young birds, but also in most adults) there are white spots on both webs of the endings of the primaries. Secondaries are painted in a similar way. The upper wing coverts are white, the shoulder feathers are white with a dark base, and the under wing coverts are also white. The tail feathers are brownish-black, the outer fourth and fifth pair of tail feathers are black at the base and white at the apex with black spots or stripes. The third pair of rudders is white only at the end and along the edge of the outer web.

The adult female differs from the male in smaller size and somewhat less saturated color of the red cap, as well as a golden-orange rim along its back.

The beak is dark gray or grayish black with a yellowish tinge at the base of the mandible. Legs are dark grey. The iris is reddish brown or pale red. There are no seasonal color changes.

Hatched chicks are naked, devoid of embryonic fluff, with pink skin. In chicks that have just opened their eyes, the iris is brownish.

Young birds differ from adults in a duller plumage color, a wider frontal stripe and sharper streaks on the sides of the body. The fledglings at the moment of departure from the hollow have a red-brown iris.

Structure and dimensions

The sizes of the average spotted woodpecker are shown in the table. 29 (col. ZM Moscow State University and Moscow State Pedagogical University).

Moult

Poorly studied. In general, it is similar to the molt of the great spotted woodpecker. In adult birds, the complete post-breeding molt begins, obviously, in June - early July, with primary primaries in the distal direction; ends in September-October. In four collection specimens from the end of June, VII, the primary primaries have already changed or its growth has taken place, on July 15, V and VI are shorter than normal length, in a specimen from August 25, the IV primary has not yet fully formed. By the end of August all flywheels are fresh. The change of helmsmen is noted from the end of June to the middle of August; the birds turned out to be completely molted in early October (Gladkov, 1951; Cramp, 1985).

In Belarus, adult males on July 1 had a change of VIII-IX primary primaries, on August 7 they were replaced by VI-VII, on September 21 - II-III primary (the second had a length of 61 mm). All other flywheels were already fresh. In the female on July 24, the V primordium was 1/3 of the length, the 2nd and 3rd pairs of tail feathers were still in tubules. In individuals from October 4, the growth of contour feathers on the chest and back has not yet ended (Fedyushin, Dolbik, 1967).

The post-juvenile molting of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker, unlike the Great Spotted Woodpecker, begins at the time of departure, and not before it. In Western Europe, the beginning of molting is at the end of May - the end of June, it ends at the end of August - the end of September. The duration of molting of primaries in young birds is on average 12 days longer than in adults (Cramp, 1985). In Belarus, in young birds on June 10, the VI-VII primaries changed, on July 14 - the VI, III primaries, as well as the 4th pair of helmsmen. In October, the molt ends (Fedyushin, Dolbik, 1967).

Subspecies taxonomy

Underdeveloped. Different authors distinguish from 3 to 7 subspecies (Gladkov, 1951; Vaurie, 1965; Stepanyan, 1990; Howard and Moore, 1984; Cramp, 1985). N. A. Gladkov (1951) distinguishes 5 subspecies: D. m. medius, D. m. lilianae, D. m. caucasicus, D. m. sanctijohannis, D. m. anatoliae.

S. Cramp (Cramp, 1985) and subsequent authors reduce lilianae (Iberian Peninsula) to synonyms of the nominative subspecies and give 4 subspecies. The forms splendidior (south of the Balkan Peninsula) and laubmanni (Southern Transcaucasia) are also not recognized. The differences between the subspecies are in the degree of development of red and yellow color on the underside of the body, the intensity of development of dark spots on the chest and sides of the body, the details of the tail pattern, and also in size. There is significant individual variability in birds.

There are 2 subspecies on the territory of the former USSR (original descriptions and diagnoses are given according to: Stepanyan, 1990).

1.Dendrocopos medius medius

Picus medius Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10, p. 114, Sweden.

The yellow coloration on the lower part of the chest and upper part of the abdomen is neither saturated nor bright. Red coloration of the underbelly and undertail of a light pink shade. Dark spots on the sides of the body are light brown and less developed. The white field on the shoulders is more extensive.

2.Dendrocopos medius caucasicus

Dendrocoptes medius caucasicus Bianchi, 1904, Yearbook Zool. Museum of the Academy of Sciences, 9 (1904), p. 4, North Caucasus.

The yellow coloration of the chest and upper abdomen is brighter, golden yellow. Red underbelly and undertail more red, less pinkish. Dark spots on the sides of the abdomen are more developed and have a brownish-black or black color. The white field on the shoulders is less extensive.

Subspecies D. m. anatoliae (3) is distributed in the south and west of Asia Minor, and D. m. sanctijohannis (4) - in the Zagros mountains (southwestern Iran).

Spreading

Nesting area. Outside the territory of the former USSR, the range of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker covers Western and Central Europe, with the exception of the British Isles and the Scandinavian Peninsula (by 1982-1983 the population disappeared in Southern Sweden; Petersson, 1983, 1984), the Mediterranean coast of France, the Iberian Peninsula (isolated population lives in the Cantabrian mountains), the islands of Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily. Lives in Turkey and western Iran to Zagros and Fars and south to northern Iraq (Stepanyan, 1975, 1990; Cramp, 1985) (Fig. 87).

Figure 87
a - nesting area. Subspecies: 1 - D. m. medius, 2 - D. m. caucasicus, 3 - D. m. anatoliae, 4 - D. m. sanctijohannis.

On the territory of the former USSR, the range of the species (Fig. 88) by the mid-1980s. covered the Kaliningrad region, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus to the north to about 58 ° N, Moldova, Ukraine (with the exception of its southern steppe part and Crimea), Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol, Lipetsk, the western part of the Voronezh regions. The border of this part of the range ran approximately as follows: to the north from the Kaliningrad region, the latitude of Riga, then the border turned sharply south to the regions of Minsk, Mogilev, then passed along the extreme southwest of Smolensk, south of the Kaluga and Tula regions, where it turned further south -East. Meetings during nesting time were known for the Pskov and Kalinin regions (Tretyakov, 1940; Malchevsky, Pukinsky, 1985; Bardin, 2001). The eastern border ran from the Tula region through the Lipetsk region and possibly the west of the Tambov region to the Voronezh region, where in the area of ​​​​the city of Bobrov it sharply turned southwest to the eastern and southern regions of the Kharkov region, the western part of the Dnepropetrovsk region and further to the lower reaches of the Dnieper and the Black Sea coast. Thus, the southern border of the range from the north went around the steppes of the south of Ukraine and Crimea (Gladkov, 1951; Strautman, 1963; Fedyushin, Dolbik, 1967; Averin, Ganya, 1970; Ivanov, 1976; Stepanyan, 1990).

Figure 88
a - nesting area, b - insufficiently clarified border of the nesting area, c - individual cases of nesting outside the area, d - vagrants. Subspecies: 1 - D. m. medius, 2 - D. m. caucasicus.

However, since the mid-1980s - early 1990s. a noticeable expansion of the range of the species began in the northern and eastern directions. In Latvia, this was noted in the early 1980s, when the middle woodpecker began to nest regularly in the country (Celmins, 1985). By the beginning of the 1990s. the species inhabited the whole of Latvia, including the islands of the Gulf of Riga, where it appeared for nesting in 1992; nested in the forests of Vilkene and Kemeri in 1993 (Bergmanis and Strazds, 1993). In autumn 1980, the middle woodpecker was encountered in Pechory (Bardin, 2001). In Estonia, the first record of the species was in October 1990 south of Pärnu (Leivits, 1994), and in 2000 a nest was found in the park of Räpina, located 30 km northwest of Pechora (Kinks, Elteraiaa, 2000 , cited in: Bardeen, 2001).

At present, in Belarus, the middle woodpecker inhabits the western and southern parts of the republic, in the Smolensk region it is found in the extreme south (Nikiforov et al., 1997, data by D. E. Te). In the neighboring Bryansk region, the species breeds in the northwest in the Kletnyansky forest and in the south in the Desnyansky Polesie (Kosenko, 1996, 2000; Kosenko et al. 1998, 2000). In 1994, the middle woodpecker was found in the south of the Kaluga region, in the Kaluzhskie Zaseki nature reserve; by 2002, 20–40 pairs lived here (Kostin, 1998; Egorova and Kostin, 2000; Kosenko et al. 20006). In the Tula region, the species occurs in the forests of the north-west and the center of the region; nesting was recorded in 1992-1994. in Prioksky, Novomoskovsky and in 2001 in Venevsky districts (data from N.A. Egorova, O.V. Shvets, V.E. Fridman; Redkin et al. 2003).

Presumably in the 1980s, this species entered the Moscow region. Prior to this, only three occurrences of the species were known within the region, which, however, were questioned (Ptushenko and Inozemtsev, 1968). Since 1981, solitary birds mainly during the non-breeding season, and, less often, pairs in the spring-summer period, have been observed in different parts of the region, as well as in Moscow forest parks and the Main Botanical Garden. To date, more than 10 encounters of the species are known (Avilova et al. 1998; Fridman, 1998; Arkhipov, Kalyakin, 2003; data by X. Groot Kurkamp, ​​V.A. Zubakin, Ya.A. Redkina, B.L. . Samoilova). Nesting was first established near Moscow in 1986, later in the south of the region - in 1994 in the Serebryano-Prudsky district and in 1998 in the vicinity of the city of Stupino (Redkin, 1998; Fridman, 1998; data from B.L. Samoilov). In the Ryazan Region, the species breeds in the Rybnovsky District and in the Oksky Reserve (Ivanchev, in press; data from V. S. Fridman).

To the south, the middle spotted woodpecker sporadically inhabits Lipetsk, Kursk, Tambov (Tsninsky and Voroninsky forests), Penza regions (Khrustov et al. 1995; Nedosekin et al. 1996; Zemlyanukhin, Klimov et al. 1997; Sokolov, Lada, 2000; Kosenko, Korolkov, 2002; Frolov, Korkina, in press).

In 1991, for the first time, it was found nesting in the west of the Saratov region. Breeds in valleys of Khopra and Medveditsa in Volgograd Region, where it has spread up to the Volga Upland. Now the eastern border of the nesting range in this area runs along 45°31′ E, and the southern border - at 50°40′ N. In winter, nomadic birds penetrate even further east (Khrustov et al. 1995; Zavyalov and Lobanov, 1996; Zavyalov and Tabachishin, 2000). From the Volgograd region, the southern border of the range turns west-southwest to the middle course of the river. Don in the Rostov region (Sholokhov district), where the species entered in the late 1980s. Then it goes to the area of ​​the city of Lugansk (Belik, 1990) and further, bypassing the steppes of Ukraine, to the south of Moldova.

The flights were recorded in July 1988 and February 1989 in the city of Ples, Ivanovo region (Gerasimov et al. 2000) and in the Sverdlovsk region (place and date not specified; Ryabitsev et al. 2001). There is information about, probably, isolated nesting in the early 1950s. in the Buzuluk pine forest of the Orenburg region (Darshkevich, 1953; cited after Davygora, 2000), but there is no contemporary evidence of the presence of the species here.

The Caucasian part of the species range, inhabited by the race D. m. caucasicus is more stable. The species inhabits the Greater Caucasus in the north to its foothills and the Kuban valley in the west and the forests of the low mountains of Dagestan in the east; Transcaucasia from the Black Sea coast to the southeastern ends of the Greater Caucasus in Northern Azerbaijan and the eastern parts of the Lesser Caucasus, including the deciduous forests of Armenia. Absent in the upper parts of the forest belt and high mountains, as well as in Talysh (Gladkov, 1951; Drozdov, 1963, 1965; Tkachenko, 1966; Zhordania, 1962; Ivanov, 1976; Stepanyan, 1990) (Fig. 88).

Migrations

In most of its range, the species leads a sedentary-nomadic lifestyle. In the central and southern parts of its range in Europe, it makes extended autumn-winter migrations (Cramp, 1985). In Russia, in the north and east of the range, post-breeding migrations are apparently more regular, but their length and frequency have not been studied. It is probable that the majority of nomadic birds are young birds. In Transcarpathia, in autumn it rises up the river valleys, without reaching the belt of coniferous forests (Strautman, 1963). The expansion of the range, accompanied by the settlement of new, remote and isolated areas of forests, also indicates extensive spatial movements of a part of the population of the species.

In the northwestern Caucasus, it penetrates into the belt of coniferous forests in winter, regularly from February to the end of March it occurs in parks and forests near the settlements of the Black Sea coast in the vicinity of Sochi (Tilba, 1986).

habitat

The middle spotted woodpecker inhabits broad-leaved and coniferous-broad-leaved forests, old abandoned gardens and parks, edges, old sparse forests with drying and dead trees. Prefers forests of plains, river valleys, foothills and low mountains. At the same time, in the FRG (environment of Helwegberg) it also nested in pine forests. It does not penetrate high into the mountains: in the Carpathians no higher than 800-1000 m. The exception is the populations of the middle mountains of the Alps in Lower Austria, where the middle spotted woodpecker nests not only in broad-leaved forests, but also in old apple and pear orchards (Hochebner, 1993). Single nestings in orchards during normal wintering were also noted in Moldova (Tsibulyak, 1994, 1996). In the Western Caucasus, it inhabits mainly low and middle mountains, but can penetrate to the upper borders of the forest, where it is very rare (Tilba, Kazakov, 1985; Polivanov, Polivanova, 1986). In Transcaucasia, it usually lives up to 900 m, but it was also caught at an altitude of 2300 m (Zhordaniya, 1962).

In Europe, the species is very closely related to upland oak forests; the remaining biotopes are almost non-existent, except for marshy mature alder forests in the north and northeast of the range (Wesolowski and Tomialojc, 1986). Hornbeam and beech forests, common companions of the Central European broad-leaved forest, are avoided by birds if the hornbeam or beech is not “diluted” with oak. The species prefers mature oak forests, avoiding both young and overmature forests (Ruge, 1971а; Conrads, 1975; Jenni, 1977; Muller, 1982; Mityai, 1984,1985; Sennet and Horisberger, 1988; Belik, 1990; Gunter, 1992; Hochebner, 1993; Tsibulyak, 1994, 1996; Glavan, 1996; Fridman, 1996). In the Desnyansky Polissya, during the nesting period, the middle spotted woodpecker is confined to oak and ash forests in the floodplains and coniferous and broad-leaved forests in the interfluves. It can be both closed stands and pasture-type forests with meadow glades, clearings, and small reservoirs. The smallest age of populated oak forests is 60 years. In the southeast of the nesting range of D. m. medius lives mainly in floodplain deciduous forests, including heavily littered near-river forests of willow and black willow, where there is a lot of dead wood and rotten wood (Belik, 1990; Zavyalov and Tabachishin, 2000). Similar habitats - old poplar forests with a large number of old rotten trees - inhabit (in addition to oak forests and oak-hornbeam forests) in the south of Dagestan, in the lower reaches of the Samur River (data from V. T. Butiev).

population

Not studied enough. The total population of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker in Europe without Russia is 53,000-97,000 breeding pairs (Hagemeijer and Blair, 1997). The abundance of the species in Latvia is estimated at 1,500-2,000 pairs, with an average population density of the species of 0.46-2.39 pairs/km2 in different areas (Bergmanis and Strazds, 1993). In Belarus, the total estimated population of the middle woodpecker at the end of the 20th century was 5,000-9,000 pairs (Nikiforov et al., 1997). In broad-leaved forests of Polissya, the species is common and rarer in pine-oak and alder forests (Fedyushin and Dolbik, 1967). In Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the density in the most favorable habitat zones reaches 1 pair per 10 ha (Wesolowski, Tomialojc, 1986). in the old garden there were 0.1-0.2 pairs/ha, in linden-ash oak forests and oak forests with hornbeam from 0.6 to 2 individuals/km2 (Ganya, Litvak, 1976). In spring, the abundance of the species here reached 1-8 individuals/km2.

In the Kodry Reserve, in the linden-ash oak grove of sessile oak, the population density of the species is 17.2 ind./km2, in the beech oak grove of pedunculate oak - 11.6 ind./km2; in early spring, the population density drops to 9.6 and 6.4 individuals/km2, respectively, and the nesting density in the linden-ash oak forest reaches 4.6 individuals/km2. In autumn, in the linden-ash oak forest, the number increases again to 11.2 individuals/km2, and in the beech oak forest it drops to 5.9 individuals/km2 (Glavan, 1996).

Throughout the western regions of Ukraine, this species was not numerous and sporadically distributed (Strautman, 1963). In Central Ukraine, in the Dnieper forest-steppe, the middle spotted woodpecker inhabits oak forests with a density of 4–6 individuals/km2, pine-broad-leaved forests - 1.6-2 individuals/km2, ravine forests - 1-2 individuals/km2, floodplain alder forests - less than 0, 2 individuals/km2 (Mityai, 1979, 1985).

In the forest-steppe oak forests of the Belgorod region, the middle spotted woodpecker was common, but not numerous (Novikov, 1959). In the upland oak forests of the Tellerman forestry (Belgorod region), he nested at a density of 2 individuals / km2 (Korolkova, 1963). At the end of the 20th century, in the Kaliningrad region, as well as in most regions of the center of European Russia, it was noted as a rare or very rare species (Nedosekin, 1997; Grishanov, 2000; Sokolov, Lada, 2000; Margolin, 2000; Fadeeva, 2000; Red Book of the Russian Federation, 2000). However, in Desnyansky Polissya, the abundance of the species turned out to be quite high. Depending on the degree of fragmentation of the main habitats, the population density of the middle woodpecker here was: in large massifs of oak and ash forests - 1.05-1.36, on average 1.21 pairs / 10 ha, in fragments of coniferous-broad-leaved forest - respectively, 0 ,16-0.24 and 0.20 pairs/10 ha. Outside the breeding season, 2.8 specimens/10 km of the route were recorded in the coniferous-broad-leaved forest, 0.5 in the oak-ash forest; in small forests - 0.2 individuals / 10 km of the route. In general, on the territory of the Nerusso-Desnyansky Polissya and in the Kletnyansky forest, the estimated number of the middle spotted woodpecker is estimated at 600-850 pairs (Kosenko, Kaigorodova, 1998; 2002; 2003). In the Kursk region, the number is established for several forests: in the Banishchansky forest on an area of ​​about 4 thousand hectares - 300 pairs, in the Petrin (536 ha) and Cossack (512 ha) forests 36 and 40 pairs live (Kosenko, Korolkov, 2002).

In the floodplain deciduous forests of the Saratov region, the density of the nesting population of the species reaches 2.7-3.8 individuals / km2 in different years, in winter, due to the migration of some individuals outside the floodplains, it decreases to 0.3 individuals / km2 (Zavyalov, Tabachishin, 2000) . In the Rostov region, the total number of this woodpecker does not exceed 100 pairs; in the late 1990s its numbers in the Middle Don increased markedly. In the Kletsky district of the Volgograd region in floodplain forests, the middle spotted woodpecker is not inferior in number to the lesser spotted woodpecker and continues to intensively settle along the Don River valley (Belik, 2000; 2002).

In the northwestern Caucasus, in the chestnut forests of the Caucasian Reserve, the population density is less than 2.5 individuals / km2 (Tilba, Kazakov, 1985), in the low-mountain hornbeam-oak forests of the southern slopes of the Western Caucasus in early June 1982 on the territory of the Golovinsky Reserve - 10 individuals / km2, in the floodplain alder forests of the river. Shahe in some areas, it reached 13 individuals / km2 (data from V. T. Butiev). In Kabardino-Balkaria, in oak-hornbeam forests, the average density was 5 individuals/km2, in beech-hornbeam forests - 3 individuals/km2 (Afonin, 1985). In the vicinity of Lake Gekgel in Azerbaijan, at the upper border of the deciduous forest, the middle spotted woodpecker was common - 5 individuals / km2 (Drozdov, 1965). In the north of Azerbaijan, in the lower belt of broad-leaved forests in gardens and settlements in winter, its density reached 2 individuals/km2.

In Southern Dagestan, the seasonal dynamics of the abundance of the species in broad-leaved liana forests of the lower reaches of the river was studied. Samur. In poplar forests, the population is low in winter and spring - 0.3 and 1.7 ind./km2, in summer it is higher - 8.3 ind./km2, and slightly decreases by autumn - 4.5 ind./km2. In oak-poplar forests, the number varies seasonally as follows: in winter - 3.9 individuals / km2, in spring - 2.6, in summer - 31.9 and in autumn - 5.3 individuals / km2. In pure oak forests, the number fluctuates much less: in winter - 7.3 individuals / km2, in spring - 10.4, in summer - 15.7, in autumn - 11.3 individuals / km2. In oak and hornbeam forests, the number also varies greatly: in winter - 6.7 individuals / km2, in spring - 14.8, in summer - 19.7, and in autumn - 25 individuals / km2. In hornbeam forests, the number is consistently low, especially in spring - 1.1 individuals/km2 (in winter 7.0, in summer - 8.0, in autumn - 1.1 individuals/km2). In alder forests it occurs only in winter and spring - 2.3 and 0.2 individuals/km2. During non-breeding time, single individuals were found in reed beds, garden plots, steppe landscape with shrubs and acacia plantations (data from V. T. Butiev and E. A. Lebedeva).

reproduction

Daily activity, behavior

Typically a diurnal bird, the details of diurnal activity are poorly understood. In the oak forest "Forest on Vorskla" wakes up at 7:48 in winter, falls asleep at 16:25. In May-June, he wakes up at about 3:40 a.m., falling asleep at 7:53 p.m. (Novikov, 1959); like all hollow nesters, it wakes up later than other bird species. During the non-breeding season, it often spends the night in natural hollows and birdhouses (Sollinger, 1933).

In forest-steppe oak forests in January 1958, associations of the middle spotted woodpecker, common nuthatch and common tit were observed, as well as associations of this species with the great spotted woodpecker, common nuthatch and common pika (Novikov, 1959). However, according to other authors (Cramp, 1985; Torok, 1986, 1988), the Middle Spotted Woodpecker avoids feeding with Great Spotted and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers due to competition between them.

Food

The middle spotted woodpecker is characterized by feeding on animal feed. In the forest-steppe oak forests of the Belgorod region in summer, it mainly eats adults and pupae of Formicidae (100% of encounters), including Lasius niger - 63.7%, Formica rufa - 27.3%, F.pratensis and Myrmica sp. - 18.2% (n = 14) (Novikov, 1969). In the same biotopes of the Voronezh region, the share of ants in the summer feeding of birds is also significant: Lasius sp. - 29%, Camponotus sp. - 7% (Korolkova, 1963). In Belarus, 1 spider and 72 specimens were found in 7 stomachs. insects, including 20 ants and 12 earwigs (Fedyushin and Dolbik, 1967). Often eats caterpillars of butterflies - 27.3% (Novikov, 1969), scale insects, mainly northern oak hermes - 18.2% (Korolkova, 1963; Novikov, 1969), imago Coleoptera (family Cerambycidae and Curculionidae - 9.1% , Scarabaeidae - 18.2%) (Novikov, 1969). Often eats bedbugs (Pyrrocoris apterus). Seeds and acorns are rare in food; in the dry summer of 1946, 118 strawberry seeds were found in one stomach (Korol'kova, 1963; Novikov, 1969). In Desnyansky Polissya, caterpillars of feathered corydalis, May beetles, remains of ground beetles, ants and bedbugs were found in the stomachs of dead chicks (Kosenko, Kaigorodova, 2003). In the stomach of a bird caught in April in the Moscow region, there were many remains of beetles: leaf beetles Phratora laticolla, ground beetles Agonum assimila and Dromius gagroticcolis, elephants Polidrusus cervinus, and ants Formica exsecta aF.polictesa. There was also a lot of wood dust in the stomach (Redkin, 1998).

In winter, in the oak forests of the Belgorod region, woodpeckers feed on the following types of food (2 stomachs were studied): adults Dolichoderus quadripunctatus (Formicidae) - 1,826 specimens; ants of the genera Formica, Lasius, Myrmica - 36 specimens each; larvae of borers (Buprestidae) - 34 ind. The remains of acorns were found in one stomach (Novikov, 1969). According to G. E. Korolkova (1963), the proportion of plant foods and bedbugs in the diet increases in winter, while Muravyov decreases.

Middle spotted woodpeckers feed chicks with animal feed. In the oak forests of the Voronezh region, they brought to the nest mainly caterpillars of this family. Geometridae (up to 40% of sightings and 450 specimens per day) and Agrostidae (Calimnia sp. - 16% of sightings, Amphipiraperflna - 29%), less often gypsy moth - 10%. Spiders, leafworm caterpillars, and larvae of xylophagous beetles were found only occasionally in the feed of nestlings (Korol'kova, 1963). With an outbreak in the number of gypsy moth or scoop, woodpeckers completely switch to feeding on these caterpillars (Korol'kova, 1963).

Of all the species of the genus Dendrocopos, in terms of its morphology (structure of the skull, muscles of the neck and tongue, development of the salivary glands, structure of the horny tip of the tongue), the middle spotted woodpecker is the worst suited for real chiselling, but is highly specialized for picking up and pecking in motion (Poznanin, 1949; Blume, 1968). Birds gather food on the surface of trunks of branches and leaves; often hung on thin branches, like tits, and only food collected from the surface is brought to the chicks (Feindt and Reblin, 1959). However, the woodpecker can gouge nuts, seeds, and terrestrial mollusks in cracks in the bark and in specially hollowed out depressions; each such "forge" is used 3-4 times (Cramp, 1985; data by V. S. Fridman).

The predominant methods of collecting food from the middle spotted woodpecker are inclined chiselling, which requires less force to strike, picking out, pecking. The passage of the substrate through the beak (removal) is extremely poorly developed in this species. The general foraging strategy is to quickly inspect thick oak branches on the move and chisel with oblique blows or pick out food. The species does not miss a single source of food, but underutilizes its medium and abundant sources. For gathering food, it prefers thick branches of the upper part of the crown of living or drying pedunculate or sessile oaks. The woodpecker ignores other types of oaks, using them no more often than, for example, a hornbeam. Most of all, he prefers live thick branches in the upper quarter of the crown and lower quarter of the crown, as well as thick dry branches of the upper quarter of the crown and medium dry branches of the upper quarter of the crown (Muller, 1982; Jenni, 1983; Torok, 1986, 1988; Cibulyak, 1994 ; Friedman, 1996).

The middle woodpecker has been recorded ringing trees and drinking birch and maple sap (especially sycamore Acer platanoides) (Serez, 1983; Cramp, 1985; Kosenko and Kaigorodova, 2003). In winter, it can visit feeders (Zubakin, 2004).

Enemies, adverse factors

Not studied enough. In Western Europe, due to the change in the nature of forestry, in which dead and old trees are quickly selected, there is a decrease in the number and range of the species; The middle spotted woodpecker of all woodpeckers suffers the most during the intensification of forestry (Angelstam and Mikusinski, 1994). For the species, the fragmentation of oak forests is also detrimental, especially when combined with their rejuvenation (Petersson, 1984; Kosenko and Kaigorodova, 2001, 2001). Under the influence of these factors, an isolated population in southern Sweden disappeared; the existence of the Spanish isolated population is threatened (Petersson, 1983, 1984). A negative impact on the wintering population of the species was found from low winter temperatures (below −20°C) and bad weather during the period of nestling rearing (Kosenko and Kaigorodova, 2003). The enemies may be hawks, martens, possibly dormice, which can destroy clutches and small chicks. In Desnyansky Polissya, cases of colonization of hollows of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker under construction by the Great Spotted Woodpecker were observed, which led to a shift in the timing of reproduction of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker to later ones (Kosenko and Kaigorodova, 2003).

Economic importance, protection

It has a regulatory effect on many agricultural pests and, in combination with other species of woodpeckers and insectivorous birds, is beneficial (Korolkova, 1963, 1966). Subspecies D. m. medius is listed in the Red Books of Latvia and the Russian Federation, but in Western and Central Europe, according to the latest data, the state of the species is quite favorable. Subspecies D. m. caucasicus is listed in the Red Book of North Ossetia.