White–backed Woodpecker

(Dendrocopos leucotos)

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

Population size: 2020: 818 – 1 388 pairs (2007: 1 200 – 1 700 pairs)

Distribution pattern

Widespread in broad-leaved deciduous and mixed primary forests in the mountains. High population density has been found only in Strandzha and in Central Stara Planina. Notably less and locally distributed in the Western Stara Planina, Eastern Stara Planina, Rila, Pirin, Slavyanka, the Rhodopes /mainly in the northern parts and the border areas/, Belasitsa and Osogovo.

Population estimation for the period 2013 – 2020: During the period 2013-2020, the species was not established in 43 squares 10X10 km indicated in the previous report. Most of them were in Western Stara Planina, Pirin and Rila. In fact, it can assumed that in these mountains there indeed is a tendency in the reduction in the number and the distribution of the White-Backed Woodpecker, as they have been subject of many targeted studies in recent years. The species has been established in 37 new squares, mainly in Sredna Gora, Stara Planina and the Rhodopes. In these mountains, the breeding of the species shows stable numbers and the new sites reflect the depth of the field research during the period. 

Population size in Special Protection Areas of Natura 2000: 674 – 1101 pairs (80% of the national population). The highest number have been registered in the following Special Protection Areas: “Strandzha” (235-367 pairs), “Central Balkan”(130-207 pairs), “Sredna Gora” (70-106 pairs), “Bulgarka” (46-67 pairs), “Western Rhodopes” (44-74 pairs), and “Central Balkan Buffer” (40 – 72 pairs).

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 in old growth and rich in standing and fallen dead trees in beech, beech-fir, beech-spruce and oak forests, with dead trees. Sparse distribution in pure coniferous forests, such as pine and black pine.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Threats 

Forestry felling, including sanitation cutting, also practiced in Protected Areas. Construction of new and expansion of existing ski resorts. Forest fires.

Petar Shurulinkov, Girgina Daskalova