The European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis), also known as the yaffle, is a large green bird with a red crown and black moustachial stripe. Males have a red center in the moustache that females lack. This species is found across much of Europe and the western Palearctic, and it mainly feeds on ants found on the ground, often more heard than seen due to its loud calls.
Measuring 30–36 cm (12–14 in) in length, it has a wingspan of 45–51 cm (18–20 in). Juvenile woodpeckers are spotty and develop red feathers with maturity. They are known for their yaffling calls and their flight combines wingbeats with gliding.
With a stable population categorized as Least Concern, the European green woodpecker thrives in semi-open landscapes with old trees for nesting. It excavates larger nesting holes, usually a few feet above the ground, and lays four to six white eggs that both parents incubate for about 19-20 days. Their diet primarily consists of ants, particularly from the genera Lasius and Formica, and they have specialized tongues for extracting insects from nests.
