European Green Woodpecker Identification
What I look like
The European Green Woodpecker is the size of a pigeon.
It has a red cap, a black mask, and black and red mustaches.
The upper side of its body is green.
The rump is yellow.
The underside of the body is grey.
Its beak is long and strong.
The female has black mustaches.
Juveniles are lighter and speckled.
My songs, my calls
The call of the European Green Woodpecker is like a laugh "hu hu hu hu".
How I behave
It drums little.
It prefers to hunt insects on the ground.
As soon as it is disturbed, it flees using different flight techniques: undulating flight, gliding, or flapping.
How I reproduce
The breeding season of the European Green Woodpecker extends from April to August.
It produces one brood per year of 5 to 8 white eggs.
It nests in tree holes either existing or dug by itself.
Its nest is lined with wood chips.
What I eat
The European Green Woodpecker primarily feeds on insects and larvae found on the ground.
It pecks into crevices, under moss, and in the soil to hunt ants.
It gathers its prey with its long sticky tongue equipped with hooks.
It mainly eats ants.
Where to find me
The European Green Woodpecker lives in forests, groves, parks, and gardens.
It is a sedentary species.