Subfamily PICINyE. 



THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 



Gecinus viridis (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 24. 



The Green Woodpecker, the most common of the three species inhabiting 

 this country, is plentiful in many of the wooded districts of the southern and 

 midland counties of England, though scarce in the northern parts, and hardly 

 known in Scotland or Ireland. It is found over the greater part of Europe, 

 ranging as far north as Norway and the neighbourhood of Petrograd, while it 

 also inhabits parts of Asia. 



The nest is placed within the hollow core of a decaying branch or trunk of 

 a tree, one of the softer-wooded kinds, such as the elm, ash, poplar, or willow, 

 being preferred to the beech or oak. Into this a circular hole is cut by the 

 chisel-like bill of the bird, running in a horizontal direction until the rotten 

 wood is reached, when a cavity is dug out in which to lay the eggs. The chips 

 of wood are thrown out at the entrance as the birds proceed with their work, 

 the litter at the roots of the tree affording a good indication of where the nest 

 is. The five or six eggs, which are of a beautiful shining white, are laid either 

 on the bare floor of the hole, or on some of the chips which may not have 

 been removed. 



The food of the Green Woodpecker consists of insects of various kinds, ants 

 and their pupae being much sought after ; on such occasions the bird may be 

 seen hopping in a curious, ungainly manner on the ground. When searching for 

 timber beetles and grubs in trees, it begins near the ground and works upwards, 

 usually in a spiral course, with short quick jumps, using its tail as a support, and 

 inserting its tongue into the cracks and openings in the bark as it ascends, while 

 it occasionally stops to cut away a piece of bark or decayed wood which conceals 

 some delicacy within. 



The Green Woodpecker, or Yaffle as it is called in country places, on account 

 of its loud laughing cry, Which has a fine joyous ring in it, especially during the 

 breeding season, is shy and solitary in its habits, and haunts the neighbourhood of 

 old timber trees in parks and woods, though it may sometimes be seen in the 

 open. When in fear or distress the bird utters piercing and discordant cries, 

 such as I have heard when one has been chased by a Sparrow-Hawk. It is easy 

 to distinguish the bird at a considerable distance when on the wing, as it alter- 

 nately rises and falls during flight. 



The female differs from the male by having less red on the head, and none on 

 the dark patch at the base of the bill, which is entirely black. 



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