The data comprise a set of parameters measured on a multisite network of study plots (located in a wide range of forest stands in mainland France, both in mountains and lowlands) designed to estimate the stand structural preferences of the Black Woodpecker in choosing an excavating site. The characteristics of forest plots centred on a cavity tree (Type="CA") were compared with control plots (Type='CT") without cavities (40 for each of the two modalities). The parameters studied, calculated for each of the 80 plots, were as follows: Total Basal Area (‘BA.LT’), Mean Diameter at Breast Height (‘DBH.LT’), Density of Living Trees (‘N.LT’), Total Volume of Living Trees (‘V.LT’), Diameter Distribution (‘DBH. SKEW’ and ‘DBH. CV"), the composition (percentage of beech: “P.BEECH”), the abundance of the woody understorey (density of young trees: “SD”) and the medium understorey (density of small trees: “STD”), the volume of dead wood (total volume of dead wood lying: “LDV”; total volume of dead wood standing: “SDV”).