Picoides tridactylus
Diet
Primarily bark-beetle larvae; also other insects, spiders, and longhorn-beetle larvae
Habitat
Boreal and alpine coniferous forest, especially spruce stands containing dead trees and fire- or wind-damaged forest
Range
Palearctic from northern Europe across Siberia to Mongolia, Manchuria, Korea, Sakhalin, Japan, and western China
Clutch size
2–5 eggs; average 3.4
Incubation period
11–14 days
Size
Not reported by ADW
Wingspan
114–132 mm as reported by ADW
Weight
54–75 g
The Eurasian three-toed woodpecker is a largely non-migratory inhabitant of boreal and alpine coniferous forests across the Palearctic. Its range stretches from northern Europe through Siberia to Mongolia, Manchuria, Korea, Sakhalin, Japan, and isolated mountains in western China. It is particularly associated with spruce, standing dead trees, and forests affected by fire or wind. Adults weigh 54–75 g. Their plumage is strongly black and white, males possess a yellow crown, and each foot has only three toes. (Animal Diversity Web)
Bark-beetle larvae are its principal food, supplemented by other insects extracted from dying or dead wood. Spiders and longhorn-beetle larvae are frequently delivered to nestlings. Birds expose prey by tapping and pecking through bark. Pairs are socially monogamous, although uncommon alternative mating arrangements occur. Both partners excavate a cavity in a dead tree and may reuse it over long periods. A single annual clutch contains two to five eggs, averaging 3.4, and incubation lasts eleven to fourteen days. (Animal Diversity Web)