Page 261 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WOODPECKERS AND WRYNECK
Order Piciformes Family Picidae Species Picus viridis
Green Woodpecker

black moustache
black around with red centre
greenish barrel-shaped whitish eye MALE
yellow body
rump
vivid red cap
whitish-barred,
dark wings pale green
cheek
MALE
IN FLIGHT
apple-green
white spots upperside
on dull green
upperparts blackish spots and
streaks on face
and underside
all-black
moustache
greenish
yellow rump
JUVENILE
big, pale, bright woodpecker, spending
Amost of its time on the ground, the
Green Woodpecker is widespread and
generally quite common around woodland and
dry heaths. It is easily detected in spring by its FLIGHT: deep undulations, but quick, with bursts
loud calls; its typical flight call is also far-carrying of fast wingbeats between closed-winged glides.
and distinctive. It excavates its own nest hole but
has a less powerful bill than the pied woodpeckers, FEMALE
feeding far less on insect larvae in timber or under bark, and it rarely drums. It is a
typical woodpecker in flight, having a deeply undulating action and a final upward
swoop to a perch.
VOICE Loud, shrill, bouncing keu-keu-keuk; song ringing, slightly descending,
laughing kleu-kleu-kleu-keu-keu.
1
NESTING Large hole in tree, 6.5cm (2 ⁄2in) in diameter; 5–7 eggs; 1 brood;
May–July.
FEEDING Eats ants and ant eggs and larvae,using long,sticky tongue to probe nests.
OCCURRENCE
SUBSPECIES SIMILAR SPECIES Widespread resident except in
Iceland, Ireland, and most of
greyer GOLDEN ORIOLE 2 lacks head N Scandinavia. In or around
head similar to 32; pattern
see p.361 broadleaved and mixed woodland
and heath-like places with bushes
grey darker
black crown and wings and clumps of trees. Regularly
around red forehead feeds on large lawns and other
eye open grassy areas with ants.
P. v. sharpei 3 GREY-HEADED Seen in the UK
WOODPECKER 32;
(Spain, Portugal) see p.436 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 30–33cm (12–13in) Wingspan 40–42cm (16–16 1 ⁄2in) Weight 180–220g (6–8oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan 5–10 years Status Declining
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