Scientific name: Picus viridis
The Green Woodpecker is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. It has green upperparts, paler yellowish underparts, a red crown and moustachial stripe which has a red centre in males but is all black in females. It measures 30 to 36 cm in length with a 45 to 51 cm wingspan. The flight is undulating, with 3-4 wingbeats followed by a short glide when the wings are held by the body.
The Green Woodpecker spends much of its time feeding on ants on the ground and does not often 'drum' on trees like other woodpecker species. It is a shy bird but usually draws attention with its loud calls, the calls being termed a 'yaffle'. A nest hole is excavated in a tree; as the beak is relatively weak it is used for pecking in soft wood only. Four to six eggs are laid which hatch after 19 to 20 days.
Information and photograph courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
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