Bird Album
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridis Linnaeus, 1758
176 gWeight
The European green woodpecker (Picus viridis), also known as the yaffle and sometimes called a nickle, is a large green woodpecker with a bright red crown and a black moustache.
Busiest months: April · Most records: United Kingdom, Germany, Czechia
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: April · Most records: United Kingdom, Germany, Czechia
European Green Woodpecker has been recorded at 657 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 41 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Amwell HMWT NRUnited Kingdom3,020 records
- Minsmere RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom2,628 records
- South Downs NP – Pulborough Brooks RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom2,112 records
More places
- Wanstead FlatsUnited Kingdom1,801 records
- Beddington FarmlandsUnited Kingdom1,740 records
- Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,654 records
- East Tilbury River and MarshesUnited Kingdom1,513 records
- WWT London Wetland CentreUnited Kingdom1,510 records
- Rutland WaterUnited Kingdom1,480 records
- Thursley CommonUnited Kingdom1,412 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The European green woodpecker (Picus viridis), also known as the yaffle and sometimes called a nickle, is a large green woodpecker with a bright red crown and a black moustache. Males have a red centre to the moustache stripe which is absent in females. It is resident across much of Europe and the western Palearctic but in Spain and Portugal it is replaced by the similar Iberian green woodpecker (Picus sharpei).
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the European Green Woodpecker?
The European Green Woodpecker weighs around 176 g.
Where does the European Green Woodpecker live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: western. It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Germany and Czechia.
When is the best time to see the European Green Woodpecker?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the European Green Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the European Green Woodpecker as Least Concern.
What does the European Green Woodpecker eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the European Green Woodpecker in?
It belongs to the family Woodpeckers (Picidae), order Piciformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 176 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 165 mm
- Tail
- 103 mm
- Bill
- 45 mm
- Tarsus
- 29 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: western
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Woodpeckers Picidae
- Genus
- Picus
Other birds in the genus Picus
Lesser YellownapePicus chlorolophus
Crimson-winged WoodpeckerPicus puniceus
Streak-breasted WoodpeckerPicus viridanus
Laced WoodpeckerPicus vittatus
Streak-throated WoodpeckerPicus xanthopygaeus
Scaly-bellied WoodpeckerPicus squamatus
Japanese Green WoodpeckerPicus awokera
Iberian Green WoodpeckerPicus sharpei
Levaillant's WoodpeckerPicus vaillantii
Red-collared WoodpeckerPicus rabieri
Black-headed WoodpeckerPicus erythropygius
Grey-headed WoodpeckerPicus canus
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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Arda Dönerkayalı. ↗
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