Dendrocopos syriacus
The garden woodpecker is the country "cousin" of the great spotted woodpecker. The species entered Romania from the Balkans in the last century and has adapted perfectly in our villages and cities. In the Danube Delta, it is the woodpecker that you will most likely see in people's yards, in fruit tree orchards or on wooden posts in towns such as Chilia Veche or Sfântu Gheorghe.
Very similar to the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but with key differences: the black cheek stripe does not connect to the nape — the white of the face continues unbroken to the shoulder. The red vent is paler (pinkish-orange). The male has a red nape patch; the female does not.
Unlike its forest-dwelling relative, the Syrian Woodpecker avoids dense woodland. It favours open landscapes with scattered trees: orchards, gardens, parks, tree-lined roads. In the Delta it is strictly tied to human settlements and agricultural areas with fruit trees.
Has a more "vegetarian" diet than other woodpeckers, consuming large quantities of fruit, seeds and nuts. Famous for the way it splits apricot stones or almonds. It also eats insects, helping to keep fruit trees clean of pests. Its call is a softer "pic" than that of the Great Spotted Woodpecker.
The nest cavity is excavated at lower heights, usually in fruit trees or willows. The breeding season begins in April–May. Both parents care for the chicks. It shows strong site fidelity, often using the same tree or the same garden for many successive years.
Globally Least Concern (LC). In Romania the species is expanding and benefits from human activities (orchards, gardens). In the Danube Delta it represents a constant and useful presence for pest control in the small orchards of local residents.