BirdingGermany.de
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
7600 to 12100 breeding pairs are estimated to occur in Germany (Ryslavy 2001). This means that the German population is the largest worldwide. The Middle Spotted Woodpecker prefers old (180 to 240 years old) mature oak (Quercus) forests (Jöbges & König). Middle Spotted Woodpeckers can be found easily only during a short time of the year. Mainly the distinctive call that can be heard between March and the beginning Mai helps to find the bird.
1700 to 1900 pairs are breeding in Brandenburg. Good spots in this state are:
-
Bird Protection Area Stechlin in the north of Brandenburg (20 to 40 breeding pairs; Landesumweltamt Brandenburg 1998)
-
Uckermark Lakes also in the north of the state (50 to 80 breeding pairs; Bukowsky 1998)
-
Schorfheide-Chorin (more than 100 pairs; OAG Uckermark 1993 to 97)
The Kühkopf-Knoblauchsaue on the east side of the Rhine in Hesse 15 km west of Darmstadt is a rewarding area (20 breeding pairs).
440 to 1780 pairs are breeding in Lower Saxony (Heckenroth & Laske, 1997). One relatively reliable place is a small forest called Dickung on the east side of the Weser north of Holzminden. There are only 4 pairs breeding but between March and May I could observe Middle Spotted Woodpeckers nearly at every visit. You can reach the area via the B 83. At Polle Flecken cross the river by using the ferry. On the east side of the river You drive right and after approximately one kilometre turn left into the first tarred road You meet. After another kilometre You will drive along a forest to the left (also on the right side). Exactly where the
. Direkt am Waldrand an der Straße auf der linken Seite geht ein Feldweg ab. An dieser Kreuzung geht ein Fußweg in den Wald hinein. Diesen geht man hinein. Nun ist man in gutem Mittelspechtwald. Man muss nicht weit gehen (z.B. bis zur nächsten Waldwegkreuzung und dann noch einmal 500 m in alle Richtungen).
The upper Rhine Valley is one of the core areas for this species in Germany. Good areas are:
-
The alluvial forests along the upper Rhine between Karlsruhe and Kehl on the east side of the Rhine near Plittersdorf (more than 50 breeding pairs)
-
The Taubergießen (180 breeding pairs)
Another good area is situated at the border between Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg: The area around the Danube and the Danube fen near Günzburg.