Greater Spotted Woodpecker
As part of my dissertation I am putting up lots of nets and catching loads of birds every week!
Last week we had a special visit by two greater spotted woodpeckers!
I was the lucky one who got to ring this beautiful male woodpecker. To ring a bird you close a small ring around their leg that has a number code on it which is entered into a massive database. This way, if the bird is ever caught again - even in another country - we can identify it using its ring and track its movements!
We also take a few measurements such as wing length and weight and look at the overall condition of the birds by looking at their wings.
Then we take a few pictures before releasing the birds back in to the wild!
As you can see from the picture above the UEA lake is in the background - anyone can get involved with the ringing group and we often have dog-walkers stop by and ask a few questions. It's great to see some people are interested!
Greater spotted woodpeckers are beautiful birds with very cool habits! They peck really fast at the bark of trees to try get to insects and grubs below to eat. This is why you can sometimes hear a drumming noise when you walk through a forest or wood.
Their beaks are really strong and a little bit scary!
Next time you are walking around the lake have a look around for us - you might even get to hold a bird!
Elleni - East African Student Ambassador
Last week we had a special visit by two greater spotted woodpeckers!
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| Male greater spotted woodpecker |
I was the lucky one who got to ring this beautiful male woodpecker. To ring a bird you close a small ring around their leg that has a number code on it which is entered into a massive database. This way, if the bird is ever caught again - even in another country - we can identify it using its ring and track its movements!
We also take a few measurements such as wing length and weight and look at the overall condition of the birds by looking at their wings.
 |
| female greater spotted woodpecker |
As you can see from the picture above the UEA lake is in the background - anyone can get involved with the ringing group and we often have dog-walkers stop by and ask a few questions. It's great to see some people are interested!
Greater spotted woodpeckers are beautiful birds with very cool habits! They peck really fast at the bark of trees to try get to insects and grubs below to eat. This is why you can sometimes hear a drumming noise when you walk through a forest or wood.
Their beaks are really strong and a little bit scary!
Next time you are walking around the lake have a look around for us - you might even get to hold a bird!
Elleni - East African Student Ambassador
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