Woodpeckers ?

hobo1 · #1 (**permalink**) 18-03-2010, 06:22 PM

Hi, Please can any one tell me , do both male and female Great Spotted Woodpecker look after the young when in the nest ?

Thanks hobo

Lyndseypops · #2 (**permalink**) 18-03-2010, 06:25 PM

According to my RSPB book (you can tell I'm a newbie!!), they both incubate, male taking largest part and they both feed the nestlings.

Dave66 · #3 (**permalink**) 18-03-2010, 08:24 PM

Hi Hobo

We have a pair of great spotted woodpeckers that nest at the bottom of our garden. When there's chicks in the nest they both feed the young, not sure about incubation but the RSPB book is probably right.

Dave.

hobo1 · #4 (**permalink**) 18-03-2010, 10:21 PM

Thanks for your replies , i have tried looking on the net but could find no info ,

We have a male and female visit our garden on a daily basis but rarely at the same time which is why i asked .
Thanks again . hobo .

nigel_b · #5 (**permalink**) 19-03-2010, 12:17 AM

We watched a pair feeding young in the nest at Arne last year. One would disappear and return a minute or so later with food for the young. It would hang on to the tree next to the hole and wait for the other to fly out before entering. The whole process was repeated time and again while we watched. This was right next to the overflow car park incidentally.

Durrell · #6 (**permalink**) 19-03-2010, 08:45 PM

I photographed a pair last year which were nesting in a busy park in York. The male and female took turns incubating the eggs, one in the nest while the other was off feeding, they tended to swap over about every 20 mins. In fact if the male stayed out too long the female would leave the nest hole and look out for him!
After hatching it was similar to what Nigel described above with them swapping as soon as they'd got a lage enough beakfull of food to bring back for the youngsters. On some occasions both would leave the nest at the same time but they didn't venture that far away.