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Red crested birds are not uncommon in this country. But what is the difference between the respective species and how can they be recognized? Our overview helps.
In a nutshell
- Red crested birds can be identified primarily by their size and beak shape
- Males and females can have red crests
- many of the red-crested birds belong to the woodpecker family
- escaped pets may also have red crests
- Confusion can be ruled out by photos and a comparison
Types from A - J
great spotted woodpecker
- Scientific name: Dendrocopos major
- Color of plumage: black, white, red
- Size: about 23 to 26 centimeters
- Life expectancy: up to 11 years
- Food: berries, insects, nuts, seeds
- Difference between males and females: Females do not have a red neck patch
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia
- Migratory bird: only to a limited extent, short-distance migrants in particularly cold regions
gray woodpecker
- Scientific name: Picus canus
- Color of plumage: gray, green, red
- Size: about 27 to 32 centimeters
- Life expectancy: 5 to 10 years
- Food: mainly insects but also berries, nuts and seeds
- Difference between males and females: Females do not have red markings
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia
- Migratory bird: only partially, resident bird in temperate regions
green woodpecker
- Scientific name: Picus viridis
- Color of plumage: grey-greenish, black, red
- Size: about 32 centimeters
- Life expectancy: up to 10 years
- Food: primarily ants and other insects, but also berries, nuts and seeds
- Difference between males and females: Females have a black beard stripe, males have a red beard stripe
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia
- Migratory bird: only partly resident bird in regions with milder winters
Types K - Q
little woodpecker
- Scientific name: Dendrocopos minor
- Color of plumage: black, white, red
- Size: about 15 centimeters
- Life expectancy: 8 to 10 years
- Food: berries, insects, nuts, seeds
- Difference between males and females: Females do not have red markings
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia
- Migratory bird: only to a limited extent, short-distance migrants in particularly cold regions
middle woodpecker
- Scientific name: Leiopicus medius
- Color of plumage: black, white, red
- Size: about 21 centimeters
- Life expectancy: 5 to 10 years
- Food: berries, insects, nuts, seeds
- Difference between males and females: Females do not have a red crest
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia
- Migratory bird: no, only in very cold regions does it travel short distances to hibernate
Types of R - V
Red Cardinal
- Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis
- Color of plumage: red, brownish
- Size: about 21 to 24 centimeters
- Life expectancy: up to 15 years
- Food: berries, insects, nuts, seeds, buds, flowers
- Difference between males and females: females have grey-brown plumage, males are red
- Occurrence: Europe, Africa, America
- Migratory bird: resident bird
Notice: The Red Cardinal is a bird that features not just a red crest, but all red plumage. That makes it all the more striking.
black woodpecker
- Scientific name: Dryocopus martius
- Color of plumage: mainly black, white patch, red crest
- Size: about 23 centimeters, up to 50 centimeters with tail feather
- Life expectancy: about 10 to 15 years
- Food: mainly insects but also seeds, nuts and berries
- Difference between males and females: males have a red crest, females have a red nape patch
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia
- Migratory bird: only to a limited extent, short-distance migrants in particularly cold regions
goldfinch
- Scientific Name: Carduelis carduelis (also known as Goldfinch)
- Color of plumage: black, white, red, yellow
- Size: about 12 centimeters
- Life expectancy: up to 5 years
- Food: berries, insects, nuts, seeds
- Difference between males and females: Females have slightly paler plumage and are smaller than males
- Occurrence: North Africa to northern Eurasia, South America, Oceania
- Migratory bird: only in regions with particularly cold winters
Types of W - Z
white-backed woodpecker
- Scientific name: Dendrocopos leucotos
- Plumage color: black, white, red crest with blue spots
- Size: up to about 28 centimeters
- Life expectancy: 6 to 11 years
- Food: mainly insects in all stages of development
- Difference between males and females: Females do not have a red crest
- Occurrence: North Africa to southern Europe
- Migratory bird: yes
hoopoe
- Scientific name: Upupa epops
- Color of plumage: black, white, orange to reddish brown, reddish to red crest with black spots
- Size: about 28 centimeters
- Life expectancy: up to 10 years
- Diet: Insects and small vertebrates such as lizards
- Difference between males and females:
- Occurrence: North Africa, northern Eurasia to Indochina
- Migratory bird: yes, wintering takes place in Africa
frequently asked Questions
Do other birds also have a red crest?Numerous other birds also have red crests. These include species that are kept as pets in our latitudes, such as rose-headed and other parrots, canaries or exotic finches.
How do you tell the red-crested birds apart?The birds can often be easily distinguished by the drawing of the rest of the plumage, the size and the shape of the beak. To be on the safe side, photos can be taken that are used for comparison.
Do only males have red crests?This generally depends on the species. In some, the males are more conspicuously colored, in others it is difficult to distinguish.