All species
resident
Least ConcernWoodpeckers
European Green Woodpecker
A shy, yaffling woodpecker with a bright green back, pale underside and crimson crown. Most often detected by its loud, laughing call as it forages on grassy banks.
Picus viridis
Woodland Parks Gardens Farmland
Size
30-36 cm
Wingspan
40-42 cm
Weight
180-250 g
Lifespan
5-10 years
Diet
Ants and their larvae, beetles, spiders and small invertebrates; often feeds on the ground.
Song & Call
A loud, ringing 'yaffle' — a laughing, descending series of notes.
Tap play to listen0:00
Speed
Visualizer
Recording by Joost van Bruggen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
How to identify
- Bright green upperparts
- Red crown on adults
- Pale underside
- Heavy greyish bill
Conservation
Least Concern
Widespread and stable; retains large trees and old grasslands for nesting and feeding.
