Dryocopus martius
The black woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in Europe, being the size of a crow. It is an imposing bird, whose loud peal echoes like a hammer blow in the stillness of the forest. In the Danube Delta, this species is an indicator of mature and healthy forests, being mainly present in the forests on the Letea and Caraorman ridges, as well as in the old sedges on the edge of the Danube arms.
Entirely matt black plumage contrasting with a long ivory-coloured bill. The only colour is on the crown: the male has a full red cap covering the entire top of the head; the female has only a small red patch on the nape. Pale yellow eyes give it a piercing gaze. Flight is straighter than other woodpeckers — less undulating, more direct. Sexes otherwise identical in plumage.
Prefers extensive deciduous or mixed forest with tall, thick trees. In the Delta, it depends on mature trees (poplars, old willows, oaks) in which it can excavate its large, oval-shaped cavities. A sedentary species, remaining in its territory year-round. Wide distribution across Europe and Asia from Spain to Japan, but absent from Britain and the extreme north.
A specialist in extracting wood ants from tree trunks — it excavates deep, rectangular cavities to reach ant galleries. Its tongue is extraordinarily long and sticky, perfectly adapted for this purpose. Calls are very loud: a repeated "kri-kri-kri" in flight and a melancholic "klee-ay" when perched on a trunk. Territorial drumming is infrequent but immensely powerful — audible hundreds of metres away.
Excavating a new cavity can take up to four weeks. Abandoned cavities are vital for the ecosystem — they provide shelter for Eagle-Owls, Stock Doves, Mandarin Ducks and Pine Martens. Lays 4–6 eggs in April; both parents share incubation and chick-rearing. Chicks are extremely noisy near fledging time, emitting persistent calls that betray the nest location.
Classified Least Concern (LC) globally, the species depends on forestry management that allows retention of old trees and dead wood. In the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, protection of the Letea and Caraorman forests is essential for this keystone species. Its role as "architect" means its loss from an ecosystem has cascading effects for the many other species that depend on its cavities.