Woodpeckers
European Green Woodpecker
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Picus viridis
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Voice
Call
Song
Song
How to recognize it
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30–36 cm long
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Olive-green upperparts, paler underparts, yellow rump
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Red crown; males have a red centre to the moustache stripe, females a solid black stripe
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Often forages for ants on the ground; loud call, "kyu-kyu-kyuck"
About the species
Olive-green feathers cover the back and wings, with paler yellow-green underparts and a bright yellow rump. A red cap runs over the crown and nape, while black markings frame the eyes and form a moustache beneath the bill. Males have a red centre to that stripe; females have an all-black stripe.
Often, its loud, laughing "klü-klü-klü" call comes before a sighting. It is wary and more often heard than seen. It forages on the ground, probing nests with a long, sticky tongue, and drums on trees far less often than many woodpeckers.
It uses semi-open landscapes where old deciduous trees stand near feeding grounds, including woodland edges, hedges, orchards, lawns and parks. Ants are its main food, with other insects and small reptiles taken occasionally. Across much of Europe it remains year-round, usually moving only short distances between breeding seasons.
Where to find
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In parks and gardens with broadleaf trees beside open lawns, look for the European Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground for ants and their pupae.
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At deciduous woodland edges and among small woods, listen for a loud, laughing call; it is especially noticeable from mid-March to late April.
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Where snow covers the ground, look near ant nests for tunnels dug through drifts as it reaches ants below.
