Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

(Dryobates minor)

Category of conservation concern (IUCN, 2020) – Least Concern

Population size: 7 500 – 12 000 pairs

Distribution pattern

With patchy and dispersed distribution over most of the country, more consistently in Eastern Bulgaria (the Black Sea coast, Kraimorska Dobrudzha, Eastern Stara Planina, Strandzha, etc.), but also in the Eastern Rhodopes, Sofia Field and the contiguous mountains, Western and Central Stara Planina, along the Struma Valley, etc. In the rest of the country mostly dispersed, in some regions the breeding sites are linear in neighbouring squares related with the riparian forest belts.

Comparative distribution of the species compared to the first breeding birds atlas (Iankov, 2007): Breeding locality until 2007 | Breeding locality until 2007, confirmed after 2015 – | New breeding locality after 2015. – The breeding localities after 2015 are identified on a base of raw data from smartbirds.org.

Habitats

Breeds mainly in old broad-leaved deciduous forests, alluvial and riverine forests and brush, and in riverside strips of trees, shrubs and mosaics of them. Often in old or abandoned orchards, tree and shrub plantations, especially riparian poplar plantations, as well as in public parks and gardens, or in other parts of towns, villages and industrial zones. Less common in mixed forests and coniferous forests.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed