BREEDING SUCCESS OF A LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER DENDROCOPOS-MINOR POPULATION

We made intensive observations of 50 pairs of Lesser Spotted Woodpecke r Dendrocopos minor in southern Sweden from 1989 to 1992. Between 7% a nd 22% of the pairs each year defended a territory but laid no eggs. O verall, 76% of the pairs laying eggs raised fledglings, but this propo rtion was only 33% in 1991 when the weather was cold and wet. The mean clutch size (5.9) and brood size (4.5) in successful nests did not va ry significantly between years. Incubation time was 1 day longer in 19 91 (11-12 days) than in 1990 and 1992 (10-11 days). Number of young fl edged per nesting attempt (3.5) and per pair (2.7) in the population a lso varied significantly between years. The initiation of egg laying v aried between years but coincided each year remarkably well with the d ate when oak came into leaf. Breeding success is discussed, and compar isons are made with other hole-nesting species.