The black woodpecker
The black woodpecker (*Dryocopus martius*) is a resident (sedentary) bird from the woodpecker family (Picidae). It is the largest woodpecker in Europe, having the size of a crow. Body length is 45–57 cm, and weight is 200–380 g. The wingspan is about 64–73 cm. The maximum known longevity is 14 years.
The plumage coloration is glossy black, except for an area on the head: the male has the entire crown red, while the female has only the back part of the crown red. The tail is long and chisel-shaped. The bill is large, strong, bluish-white or yellowish with a dark tip. The legs are slate-gray. Unlike other woodpeckers, it has a continuous straight flight without undulations. Its range encompasses the boreal and temperate regions of Europe, extending partly into Asia to the Far East. The largest populations breed in Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Romania. In Romania, it is found in coniferous, mixed, and deciduous forests of the Carpathians, and sometimes in lowland forests, especially in Muntenia. In recent decades, the population has experienced a marked expansion and has become a widespread species in Romania, being absent only in extensive treeless areas and at altitudes above the timberline (1,700 m); it is a common species in the Danube Delta. The Romanian population is estimated at 14,500 to 57,000 pairs.