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Green Woodpecker Picus viridis [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Piciformes
Family:
Picidae
BTO Codes:
G. , GREWO
EURING No:
8560
Number in Britain:
24 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
2 Concern, most in Europe; Depleted
Global:
Least Concern
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Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder
Subspecies:
viridis recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
32 cm
Wingspan:
41 cm
Weight:
M/F: 190 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: pikos =a woodpecker
and L.: viridis =green
World Distribution:
Europe, sw Asia, nw Africa
Habitat:
Deciduous & mixed forest edge, woodlands
Diet:
Mostly ants taken from nests. Largely hunts on ground
TitBit:
The tongue of the Green Woodpecker is so long (10cm) it has to be curled round its skull. The tongue, which is armed with barbs at the end is used for extracting ants
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
24 thousand pairs
in 2000
First Record:
8th Century
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Deciduous Wood
And found in:
Scrub, Villages
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
270 thousand to 1.2 million pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
31 x 23 mm
Egg Weight:
8.9 g (of which 7 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
14
(more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size:
4 - 6 eggs
4.93 ± 1.13 (2 - 7) N = 29
Incubation:
19 - 20 days
18.84 ± 0.75 (19 - 20) N = 29
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
21 - 24 days
22.25 ± 2.95 (17 - 28) N = 113
as:
Altricial, naked
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
240
Adult Survival:
No data
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
No data
Maximum Recorded Age:
15yr0m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
D
Wing Length
Adult:
163.5 ± 3.6
Range
158 - 169 mm, N =522
Juvenile:
161.1 ± 3.9
155 - 167 mm, N =480
Male:
163.0 ± 3.8
158 - 168 mm, N =267
Female:
164.1 ± 3.4
159 - 169 mm, N =250
Weight
Adult:
188.9 ± 11.49
Range
171.0 - 206.0 g , N =439
Juvenile:
180.8 ± 14.67
156.0 - 204.0 g , N =394
Male:
188.0 ± 11.28
170.0 - 204.0 g , N =226
Female:
189.7 ± 11.75 .
171.0 - 209.0 g , N =209
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
European Green Woodpecker
Gaelic:
Lasair-choille
Welsh:
Cnocell Werdd
Danish:
Grønspætte
Dutch:
Groene specht
Finnish:
Vihertikka
French:
Pic vert
German:
Grünspecht
Hungarian:
Zöld küllo
Icelandic:
Grænspæta
Irish:
Cnagaire Glas
Italian:
Picchio verde
Norwegian:
Grønnspett
Polish:
Dzieciol zielony
Portuguese:
Peto-verde
Spanish:
Pito real
Swedish:
Gröngöling
Local Names: Yaffle
Collective Noun: Descent
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