At Risk in the Canopy: The Vulnerability of Hungary’s Nesting White-backed Woodpeckers
Among Hungary’s last mature forests, the elusive White-backed Woodpecker faces mounting threats. This piece explores their fragility, habitat pressures, and why their conservation matters more than ever.
During a recent visit to the Zemplén Mountains in Hungary, we were given the rare chance to witness the struggles of one of Europe’s most elusive breeding woodpeckers – the White-backed Woodpecker. Guided by a local expert, we approached an active nesting site where the faint calls of chicks echoed from within the cavity. Before long, the adult pair arrived with food, only to have their routine broken by an unexpected visitor: a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
As our guide explained, these more common woodpeckers sometimes kill chicks to seize ready-made nest holes – a grim yet not uncommon tactic in nature. The White-backed pair instantly sensed the intruder. Both adults grew tense, but it was the female who lingered at the entrance, food still clenched in her bill, unwilling to enter with danger so near.
The essence of birding lies beyond identification, in the chance to witness lives unfolding. To see behaviours, rivalries, and daily struggles up close is to glimpse the deeper beauty of birds – and the fragile balance they must navigate to survive.
