A large woodpecker of European forests, recognized by its black plumage and red head. It searches for ants and beetles on the ground and in trees, sometimes peeling bark to reach prey.
Adults have black plumage; males have a red crown, while females have a small red patch on the nape. The bill is whitish horn-colored.
Across seven French lowland and mountain forest regions, researchers paired 40 plots with black woodpecker cavity trees with 40 nearby controls. Cavity plots had fewer small trees and mean diameter about 6 cm greater. Beech proportions were 23% higher in mountain sites and 88% higher in lowlands; the sample included even- and uneven-aged stands.
Deadwood volume did not differ between plot types. Total tree density was 42% lower in cavity plots, mainly because they had fewer small trees. Sapling density appeared higher there, but the difference was not statistically detected. The study estimated a diameter threshold above 38 cm for cavity trees themselves, while surrounding plots had similar numbers of medium- and large-diameter trees.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
In French lowland and mountain forests, plots with black woodpecker cavities had more beech and fewer small-diameter trees. The authors point to retaining large cavity trees and a relatively open midstorey as useful elements of forest management.