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European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) Alternate name(s): "Eurasian Green Woodpecker", "Green Woodpecker" German name(s): "Grünspecht" Size: 31-33 cm; wing span: 40-52 cm Body mass: 180-220 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.35-0.47

Europe: Family Group 15 Family Group 15 Table Hoopoe Eurasian Wryneck Eurasian Treecreeper Short-toed Treecreeper Wallcreeper Black Woodpecker European Green Woodpecker Grey-headed Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Syrian Woodpecker Middle Spotted Woodpecker Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description European Green Woodpeckers are relatively large woodpeckers. They have an off-white to light-grey front and ear coverts, a black facial mask and cheek patch, and an olive-grey back and uppertail. The flight feathers and the outer tail feathers are dark-grey with white spots. The only difference between the sexes is that males have a red centre to their otherwise black cheek patch, while females have all-black cheek patches. The irises of both sexes are light-grey. The straight, pointy bill is dark-grey. Legs and feet are grey. Like all other treecreepers and related species they have long toes, of which two are pointing forward and two backward. Juvenile birds have all-spotted and vermiculated plumage, but the underlying ground colours are similar to those of adult birds.

Taxonomy, classification See European Green Woodpecker at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information Some authorities have given race "sharpei" of the European Green Woodpecker full species status as the "Iberian Green Woodpecker (Viridis sharpei)".

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the European Green Woodpecker is available HERE . There are three races of European Green Woodpeckers which, taken altogether, populate most of Europe and most of Asia Minor. They are also found around the Caucasus mountain range and in northern Iran. European Green Woodpeckers populate most of Europe, EXCEPT central and northern Scandinavia, all of Ireland, the Mediterranean islands and southern Greece. They are also absent from most of Ukraine and the northern and eastern parts of European Russia. European Green Woodpeckers can be found in a variety of habitats, from various types of forest and woodland (mixed and deciduous) to parks and gardens, wherever there are trees suitable for nesting.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "viridis" European Green Woodpeckers, nominate race "viridis", are occasionally spotted by H. Dahlem-Senger and M. Thomas in the area of Eltville and Kiedrich, Hessen, Germany. A European Green Woodpecker, nominate race "viridis"(?), was caught, ringed and photographed by S. Cuturilov in Ovcarsko-Kablarski Canyon, near Cacak, Serbia, in October 2017. Another underwent the same procedure at Vlasina Lake, Serbia, in October 2019. These locations are close to the border with race "karelini" (not shown here). D. Wilczynska reports finding European Green Woodpeckers, nominate race "viridis", near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, in April 2018, and another near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in July 2018. G. Normand found a European Green Woodpecker, nominate race "viridis", 20 km North of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, in June 2020. They are also found semi-regularly in different parts of Paris, France. Race "sharpei" J. Pires reports finding European Green Woodpeckers, race "sharpei", in Quinta de los Molinos Park and Casa de Campo Park, Madrid, Spain, in November/December 2020.

Photos

Race "viridis"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male European Green Woodpeckers have a red centre to their black-fringed moustachial stripe, while that of females is all-black.

MALE

Frontal view of a male European Green Woodpecker looking sideways; note the red centre in the cheek patch
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2025]

Lateral view of a male European Green Woodpecker; this bird was caught to be ringed and released again
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Ovcarsko-Kablarski Canyon, near Cacak, Serbia, October 2017]

Lateral view of a male European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, July 2018]

Dorsal view of a male European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, July 2018]

FEMALE

Near-lateral portrait of a female European Green Woodpecker - note the absence of red in the cheek patch
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Pere Lachaise cemetery, 20th district, Paris, France, December 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a female European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2026]

Near-dorsal view of a female European Green Woodpecker foraging on the ground in snowy conditions
(photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, December 2017]

Race "sharpei"

This race is also called the "Iberian Green Woodpecker".

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male European Green Woodpeckers have a red centre to their black-fringed moustachial stripe, while that of females is all-black.

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male European Green Woodpecker - note the red cheek patch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Quinta de los Molinos Park, Madrid, Spain, November 2019]

Lateral view of a male European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Quinta de los Molinos Park, Madrid, Spain, November 2019]

Lateral view of a male European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Quinta de los Molinos Park, Madrid, Spain, November 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Quinta de los Molinos Park, Madrid, Spain, November 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male European Green Woodpecker (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Quinta de los Molinos Park, Madrid, Spain, November 2019]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female European Green Woodpecker - note the black cheek patch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Casa de Campo Park, Madrid, Spain, December 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary

European Green Woodpeckers spend a lot of time foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Kiedrich, Hessen, Germany, March 2021]

Food, Diet

European Green Woodpeckers feed mainly on various species of ants, which are also fed to the young. Occasionally, insects and small lizards are taken.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

grwoodp_dw_20180412.m4a	viridis(?) (Poland)	Territorial calls(?)	© DW
grwoodp_jp_20220129.m4a	sharpei (Portugal)	Contact calls(?)	© JP

More European Green Woodpecker sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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