The green woodpecker is the largest of the three woodpeckers that breed in Britain. It has a heavy-looking body, short tail and a strong, long bill. It is green on its upperparts with a paler belly, bright yellow rump and red on the top of its head. The black 'moustache' has a red centre in males. They have an undulating flight and a loud, laughing call.
Key ID Features:
Apple green plumage covers the barrel shaped body, which terminates in a yellowish rump, and the upper wings which are tipped with white bars.
Pale underparts lead to a vivid red cap and a whitish eye in a black eye-patch.
At the base of the sharp bill is a moustache, all black in the female but red centred in the male.
Overview
Scientific name: Picus viridis
Family: Wrynecks and woodpeckers (Picidae)
Where to see them:
Green woodpeckers spend most of their time feeding on the ground. Look out for them on your garden lawn or in parks - short grass provides good feeding opportunities for them. Like other woodpeckers, these birds breed in holes they peck in dead wood. They can be seen in England, Wales and Scotland, though they're absent from the far north and west and Ireland.
Seen in UK:
All year round.
What they eat
Ants, ants, and more ants. They use their strong beak to dig into ant colonies and eat the inhabitants.
Text (c) RSPB, used with permission
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Photographer: Tim Tapley
