In the past there were white ridges in almost all of Sweden, but for several years they are mainly found in Värmland, on the lower Dalälven River and along the Norrland coast. In total, there are only about 25 birds in the country today.
This is mainly due to the fact that the white ridge builds its nests by chopping holes in deciduous trees, often asparagus, birch or alar, and in Sweden there is less and less of old deciduous forest.
- We have moved towards a forestry that is more based on conifers, says Alexandra Lindmark at the nature conservation unit at the county administrative board in Norrbotten.
But now many white-backed woodpeckers have been born in Russia and Finland, and some of them have moved to Norrbotten and Sweden.
- We have received reports that they have been in 15 different places and 4 are stationary white ridges, says Berth-Ove Lindström, Norrbotten's Ornithological Society.