Grey-headed Woodpecker

The Grey-headed Woodpecker, Picus canus, also known as the Grey-faced Woodpecker, is a bird of the woodpecker family, Picidae. It is a Eurasian species with a sizeable geographical range, extending from central and Eastern Europe across the vast expanse of Asia to the Pacific Ocean. This bird is distinguishable by its grey head and olive green upperparts, with males featuring a red forecrown.

Identification Tips

Adult males of the Grey-headed Woodpecker have a grey head adorned with a red patch on the forecrown, a black line across the lores, and a narrow black moustache stripe. The back, scapulars, and wing coverts are green, while the underparts are pale grey. Females lack the red forecrown and have fine black streaks on the crown instead. The species measures approximately 25–26 cm in length, with a wingspan of 38–40 cm, and weighs around 125 g.

Habitat

The Grey-headed Woodpecker shows a preference for deciduous forests rich in dead trees. These habitats provide the bird with ample foraging opportunities and nesting sites.

Distribution

This woodpecker's range spans from western France to the Urals in Europe and across Asia to the Pacific coast, including regions such as Sakhalin and Hokkaidō. It is generally found in areas where mixed forests give way to coniferous forests or where tree steppe transitions to shrubby steppe.

Behaviour

The Grey-headed Woodpecker is known for its breeding behavior, where both parents share the responsibility of raising the young. The breeding season typically occurs in May, with the female laying five to ten eggs. The chicks hatch after 15–17 days and fledge in about 24–25 days.

Song & Calls

The territorial song of the Grey-headed Woodpecker is a melodic series of calls, more refined than the "laughter" of the European Green Woodpecker. The call series consists of ten to fifteen notes that decrease in pitch and slow down, often described as melancholic. Both sexes drum, with the male being more frequent and louder.

Diet and Feeding

While the Grey-headed Woodpecker feeds primarily on ants, it is not as exclusively dependent on them as the European Green Woodpecker. Its diet also includes caterpillars, crickets, beetle larvae, flies, spiders, and lice. During late autumn and early winter, the bird incorporates berries and fruits into its diet.

Conservation Status

The Grey-headed Woodpecker is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Although there is a slight decline in population numbers, it is not significant enough to warrant an elevated threat status. Habitat destruction, particularly of ancient forests and riparian woodlands, poses the greatest threat to this species.