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Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius) - HBW 7, p. 483

French: Pic mar German: Mittelspecht Spanish: Pico Mediano

Taxonomy: Picus medius Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Genus sometimes merged into Picoides. Superficial similarity to D. leucotos may suggest possible relationship, although this not supported by available genetic data; may be related to D. macei superspecies, but little evidence; more study required. Variation is largely clinal, e.g. nominate race becoming darker with flank streaking more pronounced towards S, and races rather poorly differentiated; other named races are lilianae (NW Spain), splendidior (SE Europe to Greece and Turkey) and laubmanni (S Transcaucasia), all regarded as unacceptable. Four .. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Picus medius Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Genus sometimes merged into Picoides. Superficial similarity to D. leucotos may suggest possible relationship, although this not supported by available genetic data; may be related to D. macei superspecies, but little evidence; more study required. Variation is largely clinal, e.g. nominate race becoming darker with flank streaking more pronounced towards S, and races rather poorly differentiated; other named races are lilianae (NW Spain), splendidior (SE Europe to Greece and Turkey) and laubmanni (S Transcaucasia), all regarded as unacceptable. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • medius (Linnaeus, 1758) - NW Spain and France NE to S Sweden (recently extinct), Estonia, W Russia and Ukraine, and SE to Italy and the Balkans.
  • caucasicus (Bianchi, 1904) - N Turkey, Caucasus and Transcaucasia; probably this race in NW Iran.
  • anatoliae (Hartert, 1912) - W & S Asia Minor.
  • sanctijohannis (Blanford, 1873) - Zagros Mts in SW Iran.

Sounds

2 recordings
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