On the occurrence of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius in northern Ostholstein and as a new species for the island of Fehmarn

Abstract

The distribution of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius within the northernmost State of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, is very much known. Some 2.500 pairs are thought to inhabit Schleswig-Holstein. One of the last regions within the state where no Middle Spotted Woodpeckers had been reported from is the northernmost part of the district of Ostholstein including the island of Fehmarn.

Drawing a line along the so called “Oldenburger Graben” (Oldenburg ditch), a wetland separating the northern from the southern part of Ostholstein, numerous breeding pairs have been reported from south of Oldenburg ditch, however only four sightings (apart from those made by the authors of this article) have ever been made to the north of the Oldenburger Graben. Only two of those four were made during breeding season.

During March and April of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 we visited potential breeding areas north of Oldenburger Graben and played the distinctive calls of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker. We believe that (probably since around 2010, at the latest however since 2020/2021) three to four pairs of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers have formed territories north of Oldenburger Graben. These
places are the forest of Siggen and the grove near Seegalendorf manor. Both places are indicated on Abb. 2. The region offers no further suitable forests which could be attractive for the species.

Until the year 2020 there had been no record of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker from the island of Fehmarn. The first observation ever on the island was made on October 12th, 2020. The second observation (presumably the identical bird) was made on October 16th, 2020. Thereafter only one more sighting of a probable Middle Spotted Woodpecker was reported from Fehmarn (September 19th, 2022). Throughout March and April of the years 2021 to 2023 numerous visits were paid to Staberholz, a small grove and the only place suitable for Middle Spotted Woodpeckers on Fehmarn. However, despite of playing the distinct call of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker, no birds were recorded. Thus, we assume that this species is not breeding on the island of Fehmarn. We furthermore hold that the few birds having been reported from the island are attributable to the pairs north and south of the Oldenburger  Graben. The distance is small enough, the Middle Spotted Woodpecker is no migratory bird and neither Sweden nor Denmark hold a population of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers where the birds on Fehmarn might have come from.