Head to head
Great Spotted Woodpecker vs Green Woodpecker
The great spotted woodpecker and green woodpecker are both common across Europe, but they behave so differently that they barely seem like members of the same family.
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Green Woodpecker | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Dendrocopos major | Picus viridis |
| Plumage | Black, white, and red | Green with a red crown |
| Typical foraging site | Tree trunks and branches | Open ground |
| Drumming behaviour | Frequent, for feeding and communication | Rare |
| Signature call | Drumming | Loud laughing call ("yaffle") |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable | Stable |
| Habitat | Forest | Forest, grassland |
Great Spotted Woodpecker vs Green Woodpecker: common questions
Which woodpecker forages on the ground, the great spotted woodpecker or the green woodpecker?
The green woodpecker forages on the ground, feeding heavily on ants extracted from anthills using its long, sticky tongue, while the great spotted woodpecker sticks mainly to tree trunks and branches.
Which species drums more, the great spotted woodpecker or the green woodpecker?
The great spotted woodpecker drums far more frequently, using rapid drumming both to feed and to communicate territory, while the green woodpecker rarely drums, relying instead on its loud, laughing call known as a yaffle.
How can you tell a great spotted woodpecker from a green woodpecker?
Colour is the clearest giveaway: the great spotted woodpecker has bold black, white, and red plumage, while the green woodpecker is predominantly green with a bright red crown.