Birds
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Picus canus · also called grey-headed woodpeckers
Probing an anthill with the same long, sticky tongue as its brighter relative, a grey-headed woodpecker keeps a far lower profile than the green woodpecker, its duller colouring and quieter call making it easy to overlook across the forests of Europe and Asia.
Overview
The grey-headed woodpecker, Picus canus, is a ground-foraging woodpecker native to forest and grassland habitat across a broad range spanning Europe and Asia. Its close relationship to the more vocal green woodpecker, subdued grey-and-green colouring, and shared preference for hunting ants on open ground make it one of the quieter and less conspicuous members of the wider ground-foraging woodpecker group.
The green woodpecker’s quieter cousin
Sharing nearly the same diet and foraging style as the green woodpecker, the grey-headed woodpecker distinguishes itself mainly through restraint, calling far less loudly and wearing far duller colours than its more famous relative.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and stable across suitable forest and grassland habitat throughout Europe and Asia.
Grey-headed Woodpecker: common questions
How is the grey-headed woodpecker related to the green woodpecker?
This species is a close relative of the green woodpecker, sharing a similar body shape and ground-foraging habits for ants, though the grey-headed woodpecker has duller overall colouring and a much quieter call.
How can you tell a grey-headed woodpecker from a green woodpecker?
This species has a predominantly grey head with only a small red forehead patch on males, compared to the fuller red crown and louder laughing call of the green woodpecker.
Does the grey-headed woodpecker forage on the ground like the green woodpecker?
Yes, this species forages on open ground as often as in trees, using its long, sticky tongue to probe anthills much like its greener and more vocal relative.
Where is the grey-headed woodpecker found?
This species is native to forest and grassland habitat across a broad range spanning Europe and Asia, overlapping with much of the green woodpecker's own distribution.