Male European green woodpecker in the grass

The European green woodpecker spends much of its time feeding on ants on the ground and does not often 'drum' on trees like other woodpecker species.

Both sexes are green above and pale yellowish green below, with yellow rump and red crown and nape; the moustachial stripe has a red centre in the male but is solid black in the female.

Though its vivid green and red plumage is particularly striking, it is a shy bird, and is more often heard than seen, drawing attention with its loud calls.

Wild animals photography:

• 5047 photos shot on the memory card (10 fps burst mode)
• 251 considered good enough to be preserved
• Only 1 shared… 😅