You probably remember the merry cry of Woody Woodpecker from the popular cartoon. The prototype of the cute animated bird is said to be the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. These birds are considered extinct and these days there are about 400 species of smaller woodpeckers in the world. Europe is not particularly rich in this regard. Just 10 woodpecker species are found on the continent. However, Bulgaria is one of the few countries where you can see all the ten species. The Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation has declared 2014 as the Year of the Woodpecker in order to attract attention to these birds and their protection.

Woodpeckers are tireless tree medics, feeding on harmful insects living in the bark. Some species of woodpeckers are also excellent indicators of the presence of century-old forests that have evolved without human intervention, says Stefan Avramov, chairman of Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation. Presence of three of the more rare species of woodpeckers - Picoides leucotos, Three- Picolides trydactylus and Dyocopus martius is a sure sign that we are in a well preserved ancient forest with rich biodiversity, experts say.

"An old forest with fallen dead wood is the natural type of forest. It gives shelter to thousands of species of animals, plants and fungi. These three types of woodpeckers need thick, ancient trees to carve nests in them. Therefore, we perceive them as indicators of whether the forest is centuries-old or is still a young one and needs at least some one hundred years more to grow undisturbed in order to develop a whole spectrum of rich biodiversity. These types of woodpeckers are umbrella species because they protect thousands of other species. It has been scientifically proven that in the habitat of the Three-Finger woodpecker many rare beetles and other invertebrates can be found."

Where can woodpeckers be found in Bulgaria?

"They are predominantly found in ancient forests located mostly in the national parks of Rila, Pirin and Central Balkan,” says Mr. Avramov. “We hope that we can preserve the few remaining ancient forests outside protected areas. We are currently mapping out the territory of woodpeckers in Bulgaria. The next task will be marking the most important habitats of rare woodpeckers and related ancient forests as areas where logging is completely banned. These are only a few percent of the territory of Bulgarian forests. "

The presence in Bulgaria of all the 10 European species of woodpeckers is a sign of good health of Bulgarian nature.

“The Three-toed Woodpecker as a northern species is rarely found to the south but it can be seen in this country. There are other typical southern species registered in Bulgaria too. This is a treasure of biodiversity and we have the responsibility for preserving these birds and their habitats,” the expert says.

Stefan Avramov adds the knocking of woodpeckers can often be heard now across the country and hopes this sound will not be forgotten in the future.

English version: Alexander Markov