{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "woodpecker",
  "name": "Great Spotted Woodpecker",
  "scientificName": "Dendrocopos major",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) is a striking black-and-white bird with a red patch beneath the tail, found in woodlands and parks across Eurasia and North Africa. About 24 cm long and weighing only 70 to 100 g, it is best known for its rapid drumming on tree trunks. It feeds on insects, larvae, and seeds, and can live up to eleven years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Piciformes",
    "family": "Picidae",
    "genus": "Dendrocopos"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.1,
    "lengthM": 0.24,
    "topSpeedKmh": 24,
    "lifespanYears": 11
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Dendrocopos major"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — insects, larvae, seeds, and nestlings"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Woodlands and parks across Eurasia and North Africa"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "8–11 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "70–100 g (0.07–0.1 kg)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 24 km/h (15 mph) in undulating flight"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Great spotted woodpecker across Eurasia from Britain to Japan and North Africa in woodland and parks.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Dendrocopos major.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Dendrocopos%20major&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Dendrocopos major. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dendrocopos_major/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/woodpecker/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/woodpecker/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}