BARRED or LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER.
PIC'US MINOR, Linn.
Picus minor, Linn. S. N. i. p. 176 (1766); Naum. v. p. 334;
Hewitson, i. p. 241; Dresser, v. p. 53.
Pious striolatus, Macg. iii. p. 86.
Dendrocopus minor, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 477.
Pic epeichette, French; Klein-Specht, German; Picama-
dera, Pipo, Spanish.
This little Woodpecker is tolerably common in almost
all the woodland districts of England, but from its small
size and habit of frequenting the dead boughs of our
tallest trees, often escapes notice, and is considered as a
rare bird even in many parts of the country where it is
in reality by no means uncommon. In Northamptonshire
I consider it as the most abundant of our three
species of Woodpecker, and in February and March its
“ jarring ” is as constantly to be heard, in fine weather,
as the laugh of the better-known and far more conspicuous
Green Woodpecker. The nesting-holes of this
bird are made in almost any species of tree, and it does
not seem to be particular as to the height of its nursery
from the ground. The eggs are generally from five to
seven in number, of a pure glossy white; the young
birds appear amongst the branches in the neighbourhood
of their home about the middle of June.