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
The Woodpecker Song The Woodpecker Song "The Woodpecker Song" ("Reginella Campagnola") is originally an Italian song. The music was written by in 1939, while the Italian lyrics were written by Bruno Cherubini (pseudonym "C. Bruno"). The English lyrics were written by Harold Adamson. The song became a hit in 1940, recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, The Andrews Sisters, and Kate Smith in 1940. The Glenn Miller recording on RCA Bluebird featuring Marion Hutton on vocals reached #1 on the "Billboard" charts in 1940. was a satirical version for the Italian dictator Mussolini with lyrics by Yiorgos Economidis,who also recorded the song.