Woodpeckers are, together with some forest
raptors and passerines one of the most colourful and interesting birds that
habit our forests. Their habitat (dense forest) and their elusive behaviour make
our observations exciting and unforgettable.
The land of woodpeckers
In our environment 4 species of woodpeckers can
be found.
The Great
Spotted Woodpecker, easily observed in most of the clumps of trees and
forests, and the Green Woodpecker,
distinctive for the green colours and the preference for meadows and forest
clearings, are the most common ones in the boundary of Picos de Europa National
Park.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
The Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
The Black
Woodpecker completely black and with red hood (bigger in males), is the biggest
and probably the most spectacular. And finally, the Middle Spotted Woodpecker, the scarcest, is without any doubt, an
amazing challenge for most of the European birdwatchers.
The Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius
All of them, with varying degrees of
difficulty, can be observed in the woods, forests and meadows in Picos de
Europa National Park. Our method is simple. We’ll walk into the woods as
quietly as possible and often, we’ll make stops to listen. Their calls and
pecks on the trunks will be our best guide to their location
TOUR DESCRIPTION. Depending of the interest of
birdwatchers we can choose different forests, but one of the best options is an
ancient beech forest close to Arenas de Cabrales. Gradually, following the
traditional trips, we’ll get into the heart of the forest.
Bullfinch
BIRD TARGET. Deciduous forests in northern Spain
are plenty of birds and mammals. Other birds that can be observed all along the
trip, are some forest raptors such the Common Buzzard, Sparrowawk and Goshawk
and passerines like Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Crested Tit, Flycatchers etc. Also
we can find mammals such Roe Deer, Squirrels and much more.
Firecrest
Crested Tit
Nuthach
