Great Spotted Woodpecker vs Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
How to tell these two garden look-alikes apart.
The quickest tell. Great Spotted Woodpecker: pied black and white with large white oval shoulder patches. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: tiny, sparrow-sized woodpecker with a black-and-white barred ("ladder") back.
Photo: Paolo Zucca, CC BY (iNaturalist)
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos major
How to spot it
- Pied black and white with large white oval shoulder patches
- Vivid red under the tail; males add a red patch on the nape
- Clings upright to trunks and branches
Birder's tip: The bold white shoulder-ovals and red vent separate it from any other pied bird.
Photo: Rhys, CC BY (iNaturalist)
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minor
How to spot it
- Tiny, sparrow-sized woodpecker with a black-and-white barred ("ladder") back
- No red under the tail, unlike the Great Spotted
- Male has a red crown; female a whitish one
Birder's tip: Barely bigger than a sparrow, with a barred back and no red vent, far smaller than a Great Spotted.
At a glance
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Blackbird-sized | Sparrow-sized |
| When you'll see it | Resident, here all year | Resident, here all year |
| Latin name | Dendrocopos major | Dryobates minor |
Hear the difference
Their calls are often the giveaway. Have a listen.
Great Spotted Woodpecker call
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker call
Learn them so they stick
Learn Birds teaches the UK's birds by sight and song, with real photos and recordings. It uses spaced repetition so the difference sticks for good.
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