Green Woodpecker
European Green Woodpecker
| Size | 12-14 inches (30-36 cm) |
| Speed | Unknown |
| Weight | 6-8 ounces (180-220 grams) |
| Lifespan | 7-10 years |
| Food | Ants |
| Predators | Peregrine falcon, hawk, marten, weasel, eagle owl, tawny owl |
| Distribution | Europe, Asia |
| Habitat | Semi-open landscapes, old trees |
| Order | Piciformes |
| Family | Woodpeckers |
| Scientific name | Picus viridis |
| Characteristics | Green colored woodpecker; laughing call; preference for ants |
Main Characteristics
The green woodpecker is a large, bright green bird with a striking red crown on its head and a distinctive black moustache in its face. It loves to eat ants and is well-known for its laughing call. Due to its call it is also known as yaffle, yaffingale and nickle. In Germany, the green woodpecker ranks as the third most common woodpecker, following the great spotted woodpecker and the black woodpecker.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution
About 75% of green woodpeckers live in Europe, with more than half residing in France and Germany. They can also be spotted in the UK, Sweden, Russia, Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria. However, they're absent from the northern and eastern parts of Ireland, as well as Greenland.
Habitat
Green woodpeckers thrive in diverse, semi-open grasslands featuring old deciduous trees. They particularly favor beech, oak, mountain maple, linden, birch, poplar, willow, and alder trees. These birds can also be found at forest edges, in parks, in traditional orchards, and even in cemeteries. They are quite territorial and typically stay within 1,600 feet (500 meters) of their nesting area.
Way of Life
Green woodpeckers are active during the day. Among all woodpecker species, they spend the most time on the ground. This is where they find their favorite food: ants. These woodpeckers are quite agile on the ground and can jump as far as 10 inches (25 cm).
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Green woodpeckers measure 12-14 inches (30-36 cm) in body length and have a wingspan of 16-20 inches (40-52 cm). They typically weigh 6-8 ounces (180-220 grams).
Plumage
The feathers on the back and wings are a vibrant green, while the tail feathers have a more yellowish hue. Green woodpeckers sport a bright red crown on their heads. Their bellies are grayish in color. Males have a black moustache with red feathers in the centre. In females, this stripe is solid black.
Beak
Green woodpeckers have a much softer beak compared to the great spotted woodpecker. As a result, they prefer to hammer out nesting holes in trees that have soft, decayed wood.
Tongue
The green woodpecker has a tongue that can grow up to 4 inches (10 cm) in length, curling around the back of its skull. At the tip of this tongue, there's a sticky substance that helps it catch ants, larvae, and pupae.
Female or Male – What's the Difference?
Female and male green woodpeckers look quite alike. However, there is a distinctive feature that sets them apart: the black moustache of the males has a red centre, while that of the females does not.
Green Woodpecker vs. Grey-Headed Woodpecker – What's the Difference?
The green woodpecker and the grey-headed woodpecker both have green wings and a green back. However, it's quite simple to tell them apart: the grey-headed woodpecker has red feathers only at the base of its beak. In contrast, the green woodpecker's crown is a long crest that runs from the base of its beak all the way over the back of its head. Additionally, grey-headed woodpeckers don't have a moustache with a red centre.
Diet
Green woodpeckers are carnivorous birds. Their diet mainly consists of ants, with a particular preference for moisture ants and wood ants, such as the red wood ant. They peck into the nests to extract adult ants, larvae, or eggs using their long tongues. In winter, they use their beaks to dig through the snow to search for food.
Behavior
Sounds
Green woodpeckers are pretty timid, but they have a loud and unique voice and produce sounds that resembles laughter. The males produce a sound that is more like "kyü," while the females make a sound closer to "pü." They often call multiple times at the same pitch. The first green woodpeckers can be heard in January or February, but they're most vocal between April and May.
Drumming
Unlike the great spotted woodpecker, the green woodpecker rarely drums. Its beak isn't strong enough to peck at tough bark. Instead, it prefers soft, decayed wood, which is why it makes fewer drumming sounds.
Hunting
The green woodpecker is the least likely of all woodpeckers to be found in trees. It spends most of its time on the ground, as it specializes in hunting ants. To catch them, it digs with its beak into the soil and extends its 4 inches (10 cm) long, sticky tongue, which captures ants, larvae, and pupae. This bird is an expert at locating these tiny insects, even when they are hidden beneath a layer of snow. One particularly hungry individual even dug 33 inches (85 cm) deep into the snow to reach an ant nest.
Flying Pattern
The green woodpecker flaps its wings 3-4 times, then tucks them close to its body and glides through the air.
A Shy Bird
The green woodpecker isn't easy to spot. You hear it much more often than you actually see it. This is because it is quite shy and quickly flees at the slightest hint of danger.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
The main enemies of green woodpeckers include peregrine falcons, hawks, eurasian eagle-owls and tawny owls. Martens and weasels raid their nests and prey on their chicks. Harsh, cold winters with a lot of snow also pose a significant threat to these birds. While they can find food beneath the snow, it becomes much more challenging. If snow persists for too long, they risk starvation.
Human Impact
The green woodpecker loves old trees. Unfortunately, these are becoming increasingly rare as they're cut down for agricultural and livestock purposes. Additionally, pesticides used in farming pose a big threat to their survival. Construction activities, such as buildings, roads, and railways, also contribute to the loss of their habitat.
Conservation Status
The green woodpecker isn't considered an endangered species on a global scale. According to an estimate by the IUCN in 2024, there are approximately 1.2-2.1 million mature individuals. However, in Germany and the Netherlands, the green woodpecker is already listed on the Red List of endangered species.
Importance for the Ecosystem
The holes that the green woodpecker creates for nesting serve as a refuge for many other animal species. For instance, they provide shelter for bats, dormice, and hornets.
How to Attract Green Woodpeckers to Your Garden
The green woodpecker loves ants. If you want to attract one, all you really need to do is mow your lawn regularly. It loves short grass because it makes it easier for it to peck around in the soil for food. Just a friendly reminder: please avoid using pesticides in your garden!
Reproduction
Mating Season
Green woodpeckers breed once a year. They mate from mid-March to early April. After that, the female typically lays 4-6 eggs, usually between early April and mid-May.
Nest
Green woodpeckers nest in oaks, birches, and willows. They create a cavity in the wood of decaying trunks for their nest.
Breeding Season
The eggs are incubated for 14-20 days, with both parents taking turns. Typically, the male takes the "night shift," sitting on the eggs at night to keep them warm, while the female watches over them during the day.
Chicks
When the chicks hatch from their eggs, they weigh only about 0.3 ounces (9 grams). After 21-24 days, they are already fledging and ready to leave the nest. The young birds can be easily distinguished from the adults: their feathers are marked with white spots all over.
Fun Facts
The Levaillant's woodpecker closely resembles the green woodpecker, as they are closely related species. However, the Levaillant's woodpecker is found exclusively in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
The Green Woodpecker Is Related To:
- Gray-Headed Woodpecker
- Levaillant's Woodpecker
Animals in the Same Biome:
- Bat
- Black Garden Ant
- Edible Dormouse
- Eurasian Eagle-Owl
- Hawk
- Hercules Ant
- Hornet
- Least Weasel
- Marten
- Peregrine Falcon
- Red Pavement Ant
- Red Wood Ant
- Tawny Owl
- Yellow Meadow Ant
Sources:
- "Green Woodpecker" (https://www.bto.org)
- "European Green Woodpecker" (https://birdfact.com)
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