A great spotted woodpecker in West Dartmoor, Devon, has taken to drumming on a plastic electrical junction box rather than a tree, startling a local resident with its unusual choice of percussion.
The bird was first spotted one snowy morning in early January, producing a sound described as like 'someone impatiently tapping their fingers on a desktop, with the speed of a marching band snare-drum roll'. The junction box, fixed to a roadside telegraph pole and bearing a 'Danger of death' sign, offers exceptional acoustics.
Male great spotted woodpeckers typically use hollow branches for drumming to signal their presence and attract mates. This individual, however, has taken a liking to the plastic box and returns regularly for dawn sessions.
Great spotted woodpeckers are known for their bold black-and-white markings, with a flash of crimson under the tail. Males have an additional red patch on the back of the head. Their powerful bills are used to dig grubs from wood and chisel out nest holes, but recent research suggests they avoid injury by using their head and beak as a hammer, rather than relying on shock-absorbing tissues.
The resident, who lives near Brentor church, finds the early-morning drumming more headache-inducing for themselves than for the bird.
