Joining White-backed Woodpecker ringing
White-backed Woodpecker is endangered and specially protected species. Finnish population is estimated to be 120-180 pairs. Most of them breed along eastern border area. Their favourite habitat is in this area dying, water harmed shore forest of Alders, Aspens and Birch. When these trees grow in too wet places they cant fight against insects. White-backed Woodpecker eats insects during winters too and they can’t change their diet to seeds as Great-spotted Woodpeckers do. There is winter feeding with pork skins to reduce winter mortality of White-backed Woodpeckers. Many of Finland’s White-backed Woodpeckers are colour ringed during last decades. This ringing program has provided lots of information of their behaviour, movements and life.
I had promised to be assistant in ringing. Kimmo Martiskainen and Anniina Kontiokorpi try to ring all nestlings of White-backed Woodpeckers in Parikkala and surrounding regions. In this nest there was a risk that large nestlings will escape from nest and fly to all directions. Collecting them and taking them back to nest would be huge work for one person.
Kimmo uses pole climber shoes that electric workers use when they have to get up to electric poles. He climbed up and angled nestlings out.
Anniina did ringing on ground. Every ringed White-backed Woodpecker gets individual colour rings. These rings can be checked from distance with telescope. Another ring is colored very light aluminium ring and to another leg they get 2 plastic rings.
It is possible to sex nestlings this size from redness of their head. After ringing Kimmo will put nestling back towards to door of nest. Nestling will back to nest hole. When ringer has climbed down and collected tools, parent woodpeckers will start to feed their young’s right a way.
This time nestlings did not try to escape, so my assistance was not actually needed. White-backed woodpecker is our finest woodpecker species and one my favourite birds. Participating ringing was great experience. H.A.
