Sonographic Analysis of Calls and Behavioral Observations of the Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus matius) in Central Europe

Abstract

I have studied Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius), especially with respect to behavioral observations, and through sonographic analysis of their calls, in central Europe (Gladenbach, Gammertingen, and Osnabrück in West Germany) from May 10 to the end of July 1985. I gave brief descriptions of habitats of Black Woodpeckers in Germany, followed by an analysis of sonagrams of kjäh-, kürr-, kwih-, and kijak-calls, and the drumming of Black Woodpeckers in West Germany. These analyses were followed by a discussion of the communications among male parent and his fledged female, and compared sonagrams of kijak-and kwih-calls of the young bird with those of adult.