The
Woodpecker Family
(Picidae)
Order:
Woodpeckers
(Piciformes)
Woodpeckers are shy birds. They are difficult to spot, and will often quietly fly off, or hide behind a tree trunk if a human is around.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos
major
The Great Spotted Woodpecker climbs around tree trunks, looking for food. It is black and white with a red patch under its tail. It has a black stripe like a moustache, at the edge of its beak.
Males also have a red strip across the back of their heads. Where each wing joins the body, there is a white patch of feathers.
It likes to fly
in long curves from tree to tree.
Habitat
Great Spotted Woodpeckers like to live in mature woodland of either broadleaved or coniferous trees.
They eat the insects that live on and beneath tree bark. If they can't find any insects, they will eat seeds and berries. Both parents feed the baby nestlings.
A cosy hole in a tree trunk is the place where Woodpeckers nest. The nest entrance is very round. The mother lays 4 to 7 creamy coloured eggs, some time in May. Both of the parents help to "incubate" the eggs, which means to keep them warm.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker is known as a "partial migrant", meaning that some of them stay in Britain all year long, and others sometimes fly off to warmer countries.
It makes a sharp "quick, quick" sound. In the springtime, a Woodpecker drums its bill rapidly on a branch, for about a second at a time. This drumming sound can travel over long distances.
23 cm.
The drumming sound often heard is the Woodpecker trying to attract a mate by vibrating its bill against a branch.
Green Woodpecker
Picus viridis
The Green Woodpecker is about the size of a pigeon, but it is green, with its head capped red.
You may spot its bright yellow tail as it flies off in alarm.
It can often be seen climbing up the trunk of a tree, picking out insects as it goes.
It often nests in open woodland, parks, gardens and orchards. In fact, you could find Green Woodpeckers almost anywhere where there are trees.
The Green Woodpecker likes to eat ants and ant larvae.
If it can't find any ants in the trees, it is prepared to seek out ants' nests on the ground.
It eats a few other insects too. If it can't find any insects, it will eat berries, nuts and seeds.
The Green Woodpecker hacks a tunnel in soft decaying wood, which leads to its nest chamber. The entrance is roughly round.
The adults breed in April and May and produce five to seven white eggs. Both parents keep the eggs warm and feed the hatchlings.
It can be found in England and Wales all year long.
It makes a loud "queu-queu-queu-queu" sound, which sounds like happy laughter.
The Green Woodpecker licks up insects with its very long and quick-moving tongue.