Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Scientific name definitions

31–33 cm; 138–250 g (viridis). Male has bright red forehead  to nape , usually some grey feather bases visible, especially on crown; black nasal tufts, lores and broad area around eye back to central crown side, continuing over malar region, latter with broad red stripe in centre  ; rear ear-coverts  pale green, paler feather bases showing through, darker on neck side; chin and upper throat greyish-white, often tinged light green; hindneck and upperparts bright yellow-green, rump  and uppertail-coverts bright yellow, latter with green bases usually visible, wing-coverts and tertials sometimes tinged golden or bronzy; primaries and their coverts blackish, inner feathers edged green, white spots on both webs forming bars, secondaries golden-green on outer webs, blackish with white half-bars on inner webs; uppertail blackish, feathers edged green, faintly barred pale on central feather pair, sometimes indistinctly on others; yellow-green below, paler and more yellowish in lower regions, with fairly indistinct dark chevrons or bars from lower flanks to undertail-coverts; underwing barred grey and white, coverts tinged yellow or green; undertail as above, outer feathers paler and more clearly barred; when worn, plumage greener and less yellow above, greyer below, flank barring more obvious, grey bases of crown feathers more extensive; long bill slightly chisel-tipped, culmen slightly curved, broad across nostrils, dark grey or blackish, paler base of lower mandible; iris white to pinkish or with pinkish outer ring; legs olive-grey. Female lacks red in moustache , flank bars  may reach farther up. Juvenile distinctive, much duller, more olive, eyes duller or greyer, upperparts with whitish spots and bars, duller yellow rump barred, pale greenish underparts with dark spotting on breast  and barred lower region, head spotted and streaked with grey bases in red forehead to nape, black areas duller, wings and tail more barred, male usually with narrow red tips in malar. Race <em>karelini</em> is slightly smaller and duller  than nominate, less yellow, more grey; innominatus resembles previous, but head side and underparts very pale, almost whitish, upperparts less green, often small paler spots on mantle and scapulars, bars on wings and tail more prominent, juvenile even more strongly spotted and barred.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Usually considered conspecific with P. sharpei and P. vaillantii, but differs from former in having face black (on lores, supercilium to above eye, ocular area, moustachial area and in thin line around red malar) vs very little or no black on face (so that face grey with red crown and red malar) (3); red on crown broader, and black of lores and supercilium extending to cover postocular superciliary area and thus adjacent to ear-coverts vs narrower red area allowing a grey-green supercilium to continue over eye and also ear-coverts  (2), iris whiter and thus much more contrasting (white in black face vs pale brown in grey face) (1); ear-coverts, neck and breast light green with no grey wash (ns[1]); no black subterminal bars on grey-based red-tipped crown feathers (ns[1]); significant vocal differences involving patterns of dominant frequency and acceleration of the advertising-call (“song”) (1 Fauré, C. (2013). [Advertising-call (“song”) of the European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis viridis in south-western France and of the sharpei subspecies in north-western Spain]. Alauda 81(3): 209–225. In French with English summary. Close ) (2); narrow zone of intergradation in S France (2 Olioso, G. and Pons, J.M. (2011). [Variation of the plumage of Green Woodpecker in Languedoc-Roussillon (southern France)]. Ornithos. 18(2): 73–83. In French with English summary. Close , 3 Pons, J.M., Olioso, G., Cruaud, C. and Fuchs, J. (2011). Phylogeography of the Eurasian green woodpecker (Picus viridis). Journal of Biogeography. 38: 311–325. Close ) (2); differs from vaillantii in red vs black malar on male (3), lack of whitish line along top edge of malar (2), red vs dark-streaked grey forehead and crown of female (2). Has hybridized with P. canus in C Europe (4 Lawicki, L., Cofta, T., Beuch, S., Dmoch, A., Sikora, A., Aftyka, S., Czechowski, P., Bocheríski, M., Sieczak, K. and Mazgaj, S. (2015). Identification and occurrence of hybrids Grey-headed x European Green Woodpecker in Poland. Dutch Birding. 37: 215–228. Close ). Race karelini intergrades with nominate. Race innominatus recently suggested as possibly a separate species on basis of genetic evidence, but plumage differences between it and nominate involve only subtle colour variations (5 Perktas, U., Barrowclough, G.F. and Groth, J.G. (2011). Phylogeography and species limits in the Green Woodpecker complex (Aves: Picidae): multiple Pleistocene refugia and range expansion across Europe and the Near East. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 104(3): 710–723. Close ). Other proposed races are pluvius (Britain), frondium (C Europe), pronus (Italy), dofleini (Macedonia), romaniae (Romania) and saundersi (Caucasus), all of which exhibit insignificant differences which fall within range of variation of other races. Additional named form bampurensis, known only from type locality in R Bampur Basin in SE Iran (where species no longer survives), said to have particularly well-marked tailbars and heavy barring over entire lower underparts; validity and possible survival of this isolated form require further investigation. Three subspecies recognized.

• Gray-headed x Eurasian Green Woodpecker (hybrid) Picus canus x viridis
• Eurasian x Iberian Green Woodpecker (hybrid) Picus viridis x sharpei

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Great variety of semi-open habitats; confined to larger open sections or clearings in extensively wooded areas. Forest edge, copses, parks, orchards and residential areas, usually near mature deciduous trees, but often associated with conifers in mountains and in N; requires higher proportion of deciduous trees than does P. canus. From coastal areas and lowlands to subalpine forest; to 1500 m in E Alps, to 2100 m in W Alps, and to 3000 m in Caucasus.

Essentially resident; some local winter movements. Continental European populations disperse on average shorter distances than do P. canus, although extreme instances of up to 170 km recorded.

Predominantly ants, chiefly meadow-dwelling species of genera Formica (winter) and Lasius (spring to autumn); generally, larger ant species preferred. Various other insects also taken, also earthworms and snails; occasionally catches reptiles. Sometimes eats fruits (apples, pears, cherries, grapes), berries, rarely seeds. Lives solitarily, in pairs, and in family groups. Forages mostly on ground . Uses bill  to sweep away moss, dead leaves, other debris, or snow; pecks funnel-shaped holes up to 12 cm deep in ground, and procures prey with action of the very long tongue; such holes may be exploited in lengthy and repeated visits. When snow cover heavy, can dig tunnels almost 1m long to reach prey. Forages also on trunks and branches , as well as on buildings and rocks, by gleaning and probing. Takes sap on ringed trees, but not recorded as drilling sap wells. Moves only short distances on ground.

Most calls are “kyack” or “kewk” and variations, singly or as regular or loose series; more explosive, single or repeated “kyik” in agonistic contexts; distinctive laughing, somewhat accelerating “klew-klew-klew-klew-klew-klew”, decreasing loudness, in breeding season; nestlings noisier than those of P. canus, with “rak-ak-ák” in presence of feeding adults. Only rarely drums  , in weak and irregular bouts.

Laying from early Apr, locally Mar, to Jun; calling commences much earlier, in Dec. Male feeds female during courtship, e.g. prior to copulation. Nest excavated often at 2–10 m, sometimes to 12 m, in dead or soft living wood in unbroken tree (e.g. Populus favoured in Norway), work taking 2–4 weeks; entrance hole  circular with diamter c. 6·4 cm, or vertically oval and 7·5 cm × 5·0 cm. Clutch usually 5–8 eggs, but 4–11 recorded; both sexes incubate, only male during the night, period 14–17 days; chicks  fed by regurgitation, by both parents, fledge after 23–27 days; brood divided between parents, accompanied for 3–7 weeks.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common to very common throughout much of its range, but local in some parts (e.g. Turkey). Population estimates in 1980s and 1990s include 10,000–100,000 pairs (probably c. 31,500) in European Russia and a further 400,000–1,260,000 pairs (probably c. 600,000) in rest of Europe; highest numbers in France, where c. 300,000 pairs. Densities not very high: maximum in France c. 0·6 pairs/km², but in parts of N only 0·02 pairs/km². Most populations stable or increasing, and this species has, for example, spread N into Scotland since 1950s. On the other hand, declines recorded in several European countries in recent decades: 20–30% reduction in Sweden, and since 1960s has declined by 50–75% in Netherlands. Main problems are intensification of agriculture and forestry, and conversion of pasture to arable land, which considerably reduces ant populations. Harsh winter weather can also cause major mortality, effects of which may last for years.