Grey-headed woodpecker

The grey-headed woodpecker, scientifically known as Picus canus and sometimes called the grey-faced woodpecker, is a widespread Eurasian species belonging to the woodpecker family, Picidae. It shares its European range with the European green woodpecker and the Iberian green woodpecker, with which it is closely related. Its distribution extends significantly across central and eastern Europe and throughout much of the central and eastern Palaearctic, reaching as far as the Pacific Ocean and south to the Himalayas and the Malay Peninsula.

Habitat and Diet

This species exhibits a preference for deciduous forests that contain a substantial amount of dead trees, making it more habitat-specific than the European green woodpecker. Its diet is predominantly composed of ants, although it is not as exclusively dependent on them as the green woodpecker. Other food sources include termites, caterpillars, various beetle larvae, spiders, and in autumn and winter, it incorporates significant amounts of berries and other fruits into its diet. The grey-headed woodpecker's foraging strategy places it between highly specialized ant-eaters and more generalist woodpeckers.

Physical Description and Behavior

Adult grey-headed woodpeckers measure between 25–26 cm in length with a wingspan of 38–40 cm, weighing approximately 125 grams. Males of the nominate subspecies feature a grey head with a distinctive red forecrown, a black line across the lores, and a narrow black moustache stripe. Their upperparts are green, and their underparts are pale grey. Females lack the red forecrown but have fine black streaks on their crown. They possess a shorter neck, a slimmer bill, and a slightly rounder head compared to the European green woodpecker. Their territorial song is a melodic series of utterances with a declining pitch, often described as sounding melancholic. They also produce sharp 'kuek' calls, which can serve as predator warnings, and aggressive 'kek' sequences. Drumming activity is varied, and they are known to use well-resonating sites, including man-made structures like metal masts, for drumming.

Reproduction and Conservation

Grey-headed woodpeckers typically nest in cavities excavated into dead or severely damaged trees. The breeding season occurs in May, with clutches usually containing five to ten eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young, which hatch after 15–17 days and fledge in 24–25 days. While many populations, particularly in northwestern Europe, have experienced declines, the species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. This status is largely attributed to its extensive distribution. The primary threat to the species is habitat destruction, specifically the loss of undisturbed, ancient forests and riparian forests essential for breeding.