• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the threshold for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years of three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The European population is estimated at 491,000-1,050,000 pairs, which equates to 983,000-2,110,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). Europe forms c.45% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 2,180,000-4,700,000 mature individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed.

Trend justification

In Europe, the population trend between 1980 and 2013 is uncertain (EBCC 2015). The short-term population trend (2000-2012) in Europe is estimated to be stable (BirdLife International 2015). Loss of deciduous habitats, especially riverine forest and old orchards is thought to have contributed to local declines in Europe (Winkler and Christie 2002). The species is, overall, tentatively assessed as being in decline due to habitat loss (Tracewski et al. 2016).

The species is present in temperate and boreal deciduous woodland in lowlands. It prefers open forest with softwood deciduous trees in vicinity of lakes or rivers, as well as forest edge, parks, orchards and gardens. It requires a good number of thin snags, as in old stands or in riparian woodland. It is restricted to cork-oak forest, especially with Quercus suber, in North Africa. Courtship begins in February and laying takes place from April to May (June in the north). Clutches are usually five or six eggs. It is monogamous and the pair-bond may continue for several years. The nest is excavated by both sexes, in soft wood of a dead or decaying trunk, a stump or the underside of a branch. Its diet comprises mainly of small insects; in the summer mostly caterpillars, aphids, ants, beetles, and other surface-dwelling arthropods and in the winter, wood-boring larvae and those living under the bark become important (Winkler and Christie 2002). The species is essentially sedentary but dispersal movements in August and November may give rise to eruptive movements in the north (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997).

This species has declined due to a loss of deciduous habitats, especially riverine forest and old orchards and due to the admixture of conifers (Winkler and Christie 2002). It is sensitive to forest fragmentation due to its large home range (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997).

Conservation Actions Underway
Bern Convention Appendix II. Monitoring of the species is generally poor in Europe with some exception; declines of the species have been well observed in Finland, Sweden and England (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Most important measure is to ensure that adequate suitable habitat is conserved (Winkler and Christie 2002).

Text account compilers
Ashpole, J, Hermes, C., Palmer-Newton, A., Symes, A., Ekstrom, J., Butchart, S.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dryobates minor. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/lesser-spotted-woodpecker-dryobates-minor on 24/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 24/12/2024.