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Eurasian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis |
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The Eurasian Green Woodpecker is a relatively rare bird in Scotland where photo 2 was taken and indeed, it was only reported as
breeding in Scotland as recently as 1951. It is much more common in England where its favoured habitat of broad-leaved woodland with grassy clearings
occurs more frequently.
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It is essentially a European species but also breeds as
far east as Iran and Turkmenistan.
Note the red on the crown and the black round the eye. In photo 1 the
red malar stripe indicates it is a male while photos 3 and 4, with the black malar stripe indicates a female.
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Its distribution is largely determined by its main food which are ants. It tends to feed on the ground (photo 4)
and, as a consequence, has a relatively weak bill compared to other woodpeckers. Hence drumming is rare and its advertising call is distinctive and
called "yaffling".
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