From Opus

Picus viridis

Photo by Sandpiper
Photo taken: Colwick, Nottinghamshire, UK. This is a female.

[edit] Identification

Its large size, 30-36 cm in length with a 45-51 cm wingspan, conspicuous dress, loud call and habits render it more noticeable. Though a very green bird, colour is not always distinct in the field, much depending upon the light.

The plumage of the sexes is similar, dark green above and yellowish green below and with crown and nape crimson, but in the male the centre of the moustachial black stripe is crimson. The lores and around the eye is black in both male and female, except in the Iberian race P. v. sharpei which lacks this black area. The rump is chrome yellow, and this is very obvious in flight, allowing identification of the species from some distance. The outer webs of the primaries are barred black and white. The bill and feet are slate grey.

The crimson at the base of the bill is present in the young of both sexes, and their upper parts are barred, their underparts barred, streaked and spotted.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by NIGHTJAR1
Photo taken: Nottinghamshire, UK. This is a male.

Generally common and widespread over much of range. Breeds in Britain north to central Scotland, and from Iberia and France east to about 50 degrees east in Russia, also in Iran, Turkmenistan and Pakistan. In the north found in coastal and southern parts of Norway and Sweden, Poland and the Baltic states. Occurs south to the north Mediterranean coast from southern Spain to Greece and Turkey and also found in the Caucasus.

Resident throughout range with only short-distance dispersal but may move further in the east as a result of more severe winter weather. Vagrants have been recorded in Ireland and Finland, Malta and the Balearics.

[edit] Taxonomy

Nominate race is found over much of range replaced by the duller and greyer karelini in Italy, South-East Europe and South-West Asia.

The Iberian race sharpei is more distinct; the face is much greyer with black confined to lores and little or no barring on the underparts, moustachial stripe of male has much more red.

Race innominatus is found in western Iran and bampurensis in Baluchistan.

[edit] Habitat

Deciduous or mixed woodland, generally in more lowland areas than Grey-headed Woodpecker. Common in parks and large gardens, and also open areas with scattered trees, especially in winter. Usually solitary or in pairs, feeds mainly on the ground.

[edit] Behaviour

Insects are captured by a rapid outward flick of the long tongue, gummed to its tip by sticky saliva. Green Woodpecker likes very much to eat ants. So, birds from this species can be seen searching and eating ants on the ground (a behaviour not very common for European woodpeckers).

[edit] Vocalisation

From early in the year until summer the loud ringing plue, plue, plue is a typical woodland call, often described as a laugh, and from which the bird gets one of its names, "Yaffle".

[edit] External Links