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Difference between revisions of "Eurasian Green Woodpecker" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Green_Woodpecker2.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Male<br />Photo by {{user|NIGHTJAR1|NIGHTJAR1}}<br/>Photo taken: [[Nottinghamshire]], UK]]
 
;[[:Category:Picus|Picus]] viridis
 
;[[:Category:Picus|Picus]] viridis
−
[[Image:Eurasian_Green_Woodpecker.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Sandpiper|Sandpiper}}<br/>Photo taken: Colwick, [[Nottinghamshire]], UK. This is a female.]]
 
−
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
−
Its large size, 30-36 cm in length with a 45-51 cm wingspan, conspicuous dress, loud call and habits render it more noticeable. Though a very green bird, colour is not always distinct in the field, much depending upon the light.
+
30-36 cm  
−
 
+
*Dark green upper parts
−
The plumage of the sexes is similar, dark green above and yellowish green below and with crown and nape crimson, but in the male the centre of the moustachial black stripe is crimson. The lores and around the eye is black in both male and female, except in the Iberian race ''P. v. sharpei'' which lacks this black area. The rump is chrome yellow, and this is very obvious in flight, allowing identification of the species from some distance. The outer webs of the primaries are barred black and white. The bill and feet are slate grey.
+
*Yellowish-green under parts
−
 
+
*Red crown and nape
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The crimson at the base of the bill is present in the young of both sexes, and their upper parts are barred, their underparts barred, streaked and spotted.
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*Black face mask and moustachial stripe
 +
*Yellow rump
 +
*Black and white outer primaries
 +
*Grey bill and feet<br />
 +
Sexes similar except male has a crimson centre to the moustache<br />
 +
'''Juvenile''': duller and has whitish barred underparts
 +
====Variation====
 +
The Iberian race ''P. v. sharpei'' which lacks the black mask and moustache.
 +
====Similar Species====
 +
[[Grey-headed Woodpecker]]
 +
[[Image:Eurasian_Green_Woodpecker.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|Sandpiper|Sandpiper}}<br/>Photo taken: Colwick, [[Nottinghamshire]], UK]]
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
−
[[Image:Green_Woodpecker2.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|NIGHTJAR1|NIGHTJAR1}}<br/>Photo taken: [[Nottinghamshire]], UK. This is a male.]]
 
 
Generally common and widespread over much of range. Breeds in [[Britain]] north to central [[Scotland]], and from [[Iberia]] and [[France]] east to about 50 degrees east in [[Russia]], also in [[Iran]], [[Turkmenistan]] and [[Pakistan]]. In the north found in coastal and southern parts of [[Norway]] and [[Sweden]], [[Poland]] and the [[Baltic States]]. Occurs south to the north Mediterranean coast from southern [[Spain]] to [[Greece]] and [[Turkey (country)|Turkey]] and also found in the Caucasus.  
 
Generally common and widespread over much of range. Breeds in [[Britain]] north to central [[Scotland]], and from [[Iberia]] and [[France]] east to about 50 degrees east in [[Russia]], also in [[Iran]], [[Turkmenistan]] and [[Pakistan]]. In the north found in coastal and southern parts of [[Norway]] and [[Sweden]], [[Poland]] and the [[Baltic States]]. Occurs south to the north Mediterranean coast from southern [[Spain]] to [[Greece]] and [[Turkey (country)|Turkey]] and also found in the Caucasus.  
  
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Vagrants have been recorded in [[Ireland]] and [[Finland]], [[Malta]] and the [[Balearic Islands|Balearics]].
 
Vagrants have been recorded in [[Ireland]] and [[Finland]], [[Malta]] and the [[Balearic Islands|Balearics]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
−
Nominate race is found over much of range replaced by the duller and greyer ''karelini'' in [[Italy]], South-East [[Europe]] and South-West [[Asia]].
+
====Subspecies====
 +
There are 4<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
 +
*Nominate race is found over much of range ([[Britain]] south to [[France]], Alps, northern [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Romania]])
 +
*''karelini'': which is duller and greyer than the nominate
 +
:*[[Italy]], South-East [[Europe]] and South-West [[Asia]].
 +
*The Iberian race ''sharpei'' is more distinct; the face is much greyer with black confined to lores and little or no barring on the underparts, moustachial stripe of male has much more red.
 +
:*[[Iberian Peninsula]] and the Pyrénées
 +
[[Image:Iberian Green Woodpecker.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Male, subspecies ''Sharpei''<br />Photo by {{user|Mark+Etheridge|Mark Etheridge}}<br />Photo taken: [[Clot de Galvany]], Spain]]
 +
*''innominatus'' is found in western [[Iran]] and ''bampurensis'' in Baluchistan.
  
−
The Iberian race ''sharpei'' is more distinct; the face is much greyer with black confined to lores and little or no barring on the underparts, moustachial stripe of male has much more red.
+
''bampurensis'' is generally considered invalid
−
[[Image:Iberian Green Woodpecker.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Photo by {{user|Mark+Etheridge|Mark Etheridge}}<br/>Photo taken: [[Clot de Galvany]], Spain. This is a  Sharpei male.]]
 
−
 
 
−
Race ''innominatus'' is found in western [[Iran]] and ''bampurensis'' in Baluchistan.
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Deciduous or mixed woodland, generally in more lowland areas than [[Grey-headed Woodpecker]].  Common in parks and large gardens, and also open areas with scattered trees, especially in winter.  Usually solitary or in pairs, feeds mainly on the ground.
 
Deciduous or mixed woodland, generally in more lowland areas than [[Grey-headed Woodpecker]].  Common in parks and large gardens, and also open areas with scattered trees, especially in winter.  Usually solitary or in pairs, feeds mainly on the ground.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
====Diet====
 
Insects are captured by a rapid outward flick of the long tongue, gummed to its tip by sticky saliva. Green Woodpecker likes very much to eat ants. So, birds from this species can be seen searching and eating ants on the ground (a behaviour not very common for European woodpeckers).
 
Insects are captured by a rapid outward flick of the long tongue, gummed to its tip by sticky saliva. Green Woodpecker likes very much to eat ants. So, birds from this species can be seen searching and eating ants on the ground (a behaviour not very common for European woodpeckers).
−
 
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
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From early in the year until summer the loud ringing ''plue, plue, plue'' is a typical woodland call, often described as a laugh, and from which the bird gets one of its names, "Yaffle".
+
'''Call''': A loud ''plue, plue, plue'', which sounds like a laugh, or "yaffle", from which it gets the country name
  
 
<flashmp3>Picus viridis (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
<flashmp3>Picus viridis (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
''[[Media:Picus viridis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Picus viridis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 +
[[Image:MGL7741 1-bf.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}<br />[[Minsmere]], [[Suffolk]], October 2012]]
 +
==References==
 +
#{{Ref-Clements6thOct12}}#Avibase
 +
#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition ISBN 0 00 219900 9
 +
#AvianWeb
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Picus+viridis}}
 
{{GSearch|Picus+viridis}}

Revision as of 22:07, 5 January 2013

Male
Photo by NIGHTJAR1
Photo taken: Nottinghamshire, UK
Picus viridis

Identification

30-36 cm

  • Dark green upper parts
  • Yellowish-green under parts
  • Red crown and nape
  • Black face mask and moustachial stripe
  • Yellow rump
  • Black and white outer primaries
  • Grey bill and feet

Sexes similar except male has a crimson centre to the moustache
Juvenile: duller and has whitish barred underparts

Variation

The Iberian race P. v. sharpei which lacks the black mask and moustache.

Similar Species

Grey-headed Woodpecker

Female
Photo by Sandpiper
Photo taken: Colwick, Nottinghamshire, UK

Distribution

Generally common and widespread over much of range. Breeds in Britain north to central Scotland, and from Iberia and France east to about 50 degrees east in Russia, also in Iran, Turkmenistan and Pakistan. In the north found in coastal and southern parts of Norway and Sweden, Poland and the Baltic States. Occurs south to the north Mediterranean coast from southern Spain to Greece and Turkey and also found in the Caucasus.

Resident throughout range with only short-distance dispersal but may move further in the east as a result of more severe winter weather. Vagrants have been recorded in Ireland and Finland, Malta and the Balearics.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 4[1]

  • Nominate race is found over much of range (Britain south to France, Alps, northern Yugoslavia and Romania)
  • karelini: which is duller and greyer than the nominate
  • The Iberian race sharpei is more distinct; the face is much greyer with black confined to lores and little or no barring on the underparts, moustachial stripe of male has much more red.
Male, subspecies Sharpei
Photo by Mark Etheridge
Photo taken: Clot de Galvany, Spain
  • innominatus is found in western Iran and bampurensis in Baluchistan.

bampurensis is generally considered invalid

Habitat

Deciduous or mixed woodland, generally in more lowland areas than Grey-headed Woodpecker. Common in parks and large gardens, and also open areas with scattered trees, especially in winter. Usually solitary or in pairs, feeds mainly on the ground.

Behaviour

Diet

Insects are captured by a rapid outward flick of the long tongue, gummed to its tip by sticky saliva. Green Woodpecker likes very much to eat ants. So, birds from this species can be seen searching and eating ants on the ground (a behaviour not very common for European woodpeckers).

Vocalisation

Call: A loud plue, plue, plue, which sounds like a laugh, or "yaffle", from which it gets the country name

<flashmp3>Picus viridis (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

Photo by Mahsleb
Minsmere, Suffolk, October 2012

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
  2. Avibase
  3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition ISBN 0 00 219900 9
  4. AvianWeb

Recommended Citation

External Links


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