Picus viridis, commonly known as the European green woodpecker, is one of the most distinctive members of the woodpecker family (Picidae). Recognized for its bright green plumage and loud, laughing call, this bird is widespread across Europe and parts of western Asia, inhabiting open woodlands, meadows, and even parks and gardens.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Picus
Species: Picus viridis
Morphology and Distinctive Features
Size: Measures approximately 30–33 cm in length, with a wingspan of 40–45 cm. Weight ranges between 180 and 220 g.
Coloration:
Bright green upperparts and yellowish underparts.
Red crown and black “mask” across the eyes.
Males have a red moustachial stripe on the side of the head, while in females it is black.
Bill: Strong, straight, and pointed—ideal for probing soil rather than chiseling wood.
Tongue: Exceptionally long and sticky, adapted for catching ants deep within the ground.
Distribution and Habitat
The green woodpecker is widespread in Western and Central Europe, extending into parts of southern Scandinavia and the Middle East. It is absent from high mountainous regions and extreme northern areas.
Preferred habitats:
Mixed and deciduous woodlands with clearings.
Traditional agricultural landscapes with scattered trees.
Suburban parks and large gardens.
It favors areas with abundant ant colonies, as they are a primary food source.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Diet:
It feeds mainly on ants, including adults, eggs, and larvae, which it digs out of the ground using its beak.
During winter, it may consume other insects, berries, and fruits.
Reproduction:
Nests are excavated in living or dead trees, typically 2–10 meters above the ground.
Both sexes participate in digging the nest cavity.
The female lays 5 to 7 eggs, incubated for about 15–17 days.
Chicks remain in the nest for 3–4 weeks before fledging.
Calls:
Its most characteristic call is a loud, laughing series of notes, often compared to a hysterical laugh (“yaffle”).
Unlike many other woodpeckers, it rarely drums on wood and relies more on vocalizations.
Ecological Adaptations
Specialized tongue: Can extend over 10 cm, covered in sticky saliva and tiny barbs to catch ants efficiently.
Reinforced skull and neck muscles: Protect the brain from impact while foraging.
Zygodactyl feet: Two toes facing forward and two backward for better grip on tree trunks.
Stiff tail feathers: Used for support while climbing vertical surfaces.
Conservation
Current status: The Picus viridis is listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.
Population trends: Generally stable or increasing in many parts of Europe, partly due to the increase in green spaces in urban and suburban areas.
Threats:
Loss of mature trees and deadwood used for nesting.
Agricultural intensification reducing insect abundance.
Habitat fragmentation and land use change.
Protection: Protected under various European wildlife and habitat directives.
Curiosities
Unlike most woodpeckers, the green woodpecker spends much of its time on the ground, foraging for ants.
It is one of the least likely to drum, relying instead on loud, far-carrying vocalizations.
Its presence often indicates healthy soil and meadow ecosystems, due to its dependence on ant colonies.
In folklore, it has often been associated with good fortune and fertility of the land.
Role in the Ecosystem
The green woodpecker plays an important role as:
Insect regulator: Helping control ant populations in meadows and forest edges.
Cavity provider: Abandoned nest holes are frequently reused by other birds (like owls, tits), mammals (such as bats), and insects, making the species a keystone contributor to biodiversity.
References__________________________________________________________________________
Alder, D., & Marsden, S. (2010). Characteristics of feeding‐site selection by breeding Green Woodpeckers Picus viridis in a UK agricultural landscape. Bird study, 57(1), 100-107.
Abstract. Capsule Green Woodpeckers exhibited strong feeding‐site preference, choosing areas based on abundance of ants with additional micro‐habitat effects. Aims To identify the habitat characteristics influencing feeding‐site selection across farmland. Methods A pair of Green Woodpeckers was radiotracked during a breeding season. Habitat and prey abundance variables were compared within the birds’ combined home‐ranges. canoco was used to identify ecological gradients, and logistic regression used to predict feeding‐site use based on ant abundance with resultant residuals correlated to identify habitat features that further influenced site selection. Results Most feeding was done in sheep‐grazed pastures and garden lawns with arable and cattle‐grazed land avoided. Green Woodpecker feeding sites were associated with areas of short grassland with high plant richness and high densities of ants, especially Lasius flavus. Logistic regression correctly classified 98% of cases from ant abundance. The woodpecker pair had a greater probability of feeding in areas with deep leaf litter, high plant species richness, and lower probability if the site had tall or dense vegetation, or heavily compacted soils. Conclusions Structural habitat characteristics were important, with this woodpecker pair foraging in short grazed and mown grasslands. If these results are replicated elsewhere then appropriate farm management may benefit Green Woodpeckers significantly.
Pons, J. M., Olioso, G., Cruaud, C., & Fuchs, J. (2011). Phylogeography of the Eurasian green woodpecker (Picus viridis). Journal of Biogeography, 38(2), 311-325.
Abstract. Aim In this paper we investigate the evolutionary history of the Eurasian green woodpecker (Picus viridis) using molecular markers. We specifically focus on the respective roles of Pleistocene climatic oscillations and geographical barriers in shaping the current population genetics within this species. In addition, we discuss the validity of current species and subspecies limits. Location Western Palaearctic: Europe to western Russia, and Africa north of the Sahara. Methods We sequenced two mitochondrial genes and five nuclear introns for 17 Eurasian green woodpeckers. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses were conducted using maximum likelihood and Bayesian algorithms. In addition, we sequenced a fragment of the cytochrome b gene (cyt b, 427 bp) and of the Z-linked BRM intron 15 for 113 and 85 individuals, respectively. The latter data set was analysed using population genetic methods. Results Our phylogenetic results support the monophyly of Picus viridis and suggest that this taxon comprises three allopatric/parapatric lineages distributed in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula and Europe, respectively. The North African lineage split from the Iberian/European clade during the early Pleistocene (1.6–2.2 Ma). The divergence event between the Iberian and the European lineages occurred during the mid-Pleistocene (0.7–1.2 Ma). Our results also support a post-glacial range expansion of these two lineages from distinct refugia located in the Iberian Peninsula and possibly in eastern Europe or Anatolia, which led to the establishment of a secondary contact zone in southern France. Main conclusions Our results emphasize the crucial role of both Pleistocene climatic oscillations and geographical barriers (Strait of Gibraltar, Pyrenees chain) in shaping the current genetic structure of the Eurasian green woodpecker. Our molecular data, in combination with diagnosable plumage characters, suggest that the North African green woodpecker (Levaillant’s woodpecker) merits species rank as Picus vaillantii (Malherbe, 1847). The two European lineages could be distinguished by molecular and phenotypic characters over most of their respective geographical ranges, but they locally exchange genes in southern France. Consequently, we prefer to treat them as subspecies (P. viridis viridis, P. viridis sharpei) pending further studies.
Gorman, G. (2023). The Green Woodpecker: The Natural and Cultural History of Picus Viridis. Pelagic Publishing Ltd.
