Population trends in black woodpecker in relation to changes and characteristics of European forests

During the last century the black woodpecker Drycopus martius has expanded its range in central and western Europe. Habitat changes were the most common explanations of these expansions. I compared changes in forest characteristics in countries where different black woodpecker population trends were observed. Results showed that countries with positive population trends had significantly higher increase in coniferous forest volume. These countries had also significantly higher proportion of young forest stands. The importance of coniferous forests, as well as importance of forest structure for the black woodpecker, are discussed.