The smallest of the woodpeckers in Extremadura, only about the size of a sparrow. Its plumage is black and white on the back, wings and tail, with the underparts whitish with a slight pinkish tinge with blackish streaks. The male has a red crown. It makes its nest in holes excavated by its bill in tree trunks. It feeds on insects in the timber and below the bark of braches. It is present throughout the year.