Picus viridis

Interesting facts: The green woodpecker is also known as the “yaffle” thanks to its characteristic territorial call. Besides the grey-headed woodpecker, it is the most common ground woodpecker in Europe. The species feeds almost entirely on ants. The bird looks for these preferentially on the ground of extensive orchards. It finds perfect branch hollows for breeding places in the trees. In winter, it searches in our gardens for food, such as spiders, flies and berries.

Characteristics: Overall impression is predominantly green, crown bright red with black mask, males with red, females with black moustache, yellow-green rump; light eyes; tail clearly wedge-shaped with a long drawn-out tip

Body length: Longer than 30 cm (longer than a blackbird)