European green woodpecker but is made sticky by secretions from the enlarged salivary glands. Heavy, prolonged snow cover makes feeding difficult for the green woodpecker and can result in high mortality, from which it may take 10 years for the population to recover. Ant nests can be located under the snow; one bird was observed to dig 85 cm to reach a nest. 'Professor Yaffle', the wooden bookend character in the 1974 children's animation series "Bagpuss", was based loosely upon the green woodpecker. 'Yaffle' was among many English folk names for the European green woodpecker relating to its laughing call; others include laughing
Cuban green woodpecker Cuban green woodpecker The Cuban green woodpecker ("Xiphidiopicus percussus") is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is the only species within the genus Xiphidiopicus. It is endemic to Cuba. A distinctive, relatively small woodpecker of the general size and shape of a sapsucker, occasionally appearing crested, with bright olive-green upperparts and yellow underparts. Nape and upper breast are bright red with some black bases to feathers usually visible, with black chin and throat; red crown in males, black crown striped white in females. White face and supercilium, punctuated by black border to cheek. Yellow breast is streaked