One of the great spotted woodpecker chicks being fed in Killarney National Park. Image: Valerie O'Sullivan
Move over Woody Woodpecker, there’s a new species in town.
A bird species thought to be extinct in Ireland until recently has been spotted with chicks in Killarney National Park.
A breeding pair of great spotted woodpeckers has hatched a small number of chicks in recent weeks. This is the first recorded breeding activity of the species in the park. The chicks are described as becoming more and more vocal every day as they prepare to fledge.
“There’s huge excitement here in Killarney since these birds were spotted over the past few weeks,” said Eamonn Meskell, divisional manager for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in Killarney.
“Woodpeckers like to spend time in areas where there are mature trees. The park with its mature oak woodlands provides the perfect nesting and feeding opportunities for them.”
One of the adult great spotted woodpeckers in Killarney National Park. Image: Valerie O’Sullivan
The great spotted woodpecker is about the size of a starling and has striking black and white feathers, with red underneath the tail. The male has a red patch on the back of the head and young birds have a red crown. It has a distinctive bouncing flight and spends most of its time clinging to tree trunks and branches. In spring, it drums loudly to signal its territory.
It can be hard to spot because it feeds and nests high up in trees.
The species is common to Britain and continental Europe and, according to BirdWatch Ireland, it is increasing in numbers and range across Ireland. The National Biodiversity Data Centre describes the species’ range expansion in Ireland in recent years as “remarkable”. Sightings of the species have been submitted to the National Biodiversity Data Centre for every Irish county.
A map with recorded sightings of the great spotted woodpecker. Image: National Biodiversity Data Centre, Ireland
The species is believed to have gone extinct in Ireland because of major deforestation in the 17th and 18th centuries. However, it seems to have returned early this century. There was a confirmed instance of the species breeding in Co Down in 2005 and it was first recorded in Killarney in 2013.
The recent breeding in Killarney was confirmed by NPWS conservation ranger Sam Bayley when he was ringing birds in the park as part of a British Trust for Ornithology scheme.
“Stories like this reflect some of the unexpected treasures that can be found in our national parks and nature reserves, and that our staff are working hard to protect,” said Niall Ó Donnchú, director general of NPWS.
This is a rare good news story in a time of rapid biodiversity decline. Human-induced climate heating and habitat loss are the main causes of an escalating biodiversity crisis that has put an estimated 2m plant and animal species at risk of extinction, according to a recent study. Earlier this year, the Irish Government released its National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023-2030. The plan includes almost 200 actions to restore and protect the diversity of Ireland’s plants, animals and habitats, and will be funded through the Climate and Nature Fund.
Dr Deirdre Lynn from the NPWS, who led the development of the plan, was optimistic that this new set of actions will provide the necessary focus for greater shared action “to conserve and restore biodiversity and contribute to our national, regional and global targets”.
“Millions of years of evolution are at stake.”
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