Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minor
Silhouette: Aliaksandr Micianin · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
- GenusDryobates (Dryobates Woodpeckers)
- SpeciesDryobates minor (Lesser Spotted Woodpecker)
About the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
The lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor) is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. It was formerly assigned to the genus Dendrocopos (sometimes incorrectly spelt as Dendrocopus). Some taxonomic authorities continue to list the species there.
The range of the lesser spotted woodpecker is the Palearctic region, but several subspecies are recognised. The lesser spotted woodpecker was listed by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Picus minor. Linnaeus specified the locality as Europe but this is now restricted to Sweden. The species was moved to the genus Dendrocopos by the German naturalist Carl Ludwig Koch in 1816. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2015 based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences found that the species placed in the genus Dendrocopos did not form a monophyletic group. In the revised generic classification, the lesser spotted woodpecker was placed in the resurrected genus Dryobates, that had originally been introduced by the German naturalist Friedrich Boie in 1826. The genus name Dryobates is from the Ancient Greek druos meaning woodland and batēs meaning... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Gauja National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Gauja National Park
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos major
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocoptes medius
Black Woodpecker
Dryocopus martius
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Picus canus
White-backed Woodpecker
Dendrocopos leucotos
Eurasian Wryneck
Jynx torquilla
Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker
Picoides tridactylus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 2 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 3 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 4 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 6 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 8 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 9 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 10 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 11 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 12 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 13 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 14 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 15 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 16 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 17 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 18 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | |
| 19 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 20 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 21 | Hohe Tauern National Park | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 22 | Vanoise National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 23 | Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Gauja National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sighting in Gauja National Park, based on 35 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Gauja National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Gauja National Park in our monthly data.