Andrew Chick Ecology

All photos (c) Andrew P. Chick

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in England has experienced a severe decline in recent decades and is now considered a Red List species under the UK’s Birds of Conservation Concern. Once more widespread, its population has significantly decreased due to habitat loss, reduced availability of deadwood for nesting and foraging, and competition with larger woodpeckers, such as the Great Spotted Woodpecker.

This species is now largely restricted to isolated pockets of ancient woodland, riverine woodlands, and mature hedgerows, with strongholds in parts of southern and eastern England. However, even in these areas, numbers remain low, and the bird is rarely seen. Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable woodland habitats, increasing deadwood availability, and monitoring populations to better understand the causes of decline.

At the rate of decline, I think I’ve seen my last one (photographed below in 2023)….