Levaillant's woodpecker Levaillant's woodpecker The Levaillant’s woodpecker or Levaillant’s green woodpecker ("Picus vaillantii") is a large African member of the woodpecker family Picidae. Levaillant's woodpecker is sometimes considered a subspecies of the European green woodpecker. It is monotypic, meaning it has no subspecies. This species was named in honour of the French explorer, collector and ornithologist, François Le Vaillant. Levaillant’s woodpecker is found in the three Maghreb countries Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in northwest Africa. It breeds in mountain forests up to the treeline at around 2000m. Levaillant’s woodpecker is 30–33 cm in length with a 45–51 cm wingspan. It is very
Woodpecker Woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the family Picidae, a group of near-passerine birds that also consist of piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known that live in treeless areas, such as rocky hillsides and deserts, and the Gila woodpecker specialises in exploiting cacti. Members of this family are chiefly known for their characteristic behaviour. They mostly forage for insect prey on the trunks and branches of trees, and often