Japanese Green WoodpeckerアオゲラScientific name: Picus awokera
The Japanese Green Woodpecker is a distinctive medium-sized woodpecker endemic to Japan. Its predominantly green plumage provides excellent camouflage among leaves and moss-covered trees, while the bright red coloring on the head makes it easier to identify at close range. It is a characteristic bird of Japanese forests, woodland edges and satoyama landscapes.
Habitat: Deciduous and mixed forests, mountain woodland, satoyama, forest edges, parks and large wooded gardens.
Range in Japan: A widespread resident of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, with local variation in abundance. It is especially associated with wooded areas and mature trees. It should not be shown throughout Hokkaido, where it is generally absent.
Diet: Mainly ants and other insects, insect larvae and other small invertebrates; also takes fruits and berries, particularly outside the breeding season.
Season: Resident year-round.
Size: 29–30 cm long; wingspan approximately 45–50 cm.
Nesting: Excavates a cavity in a tree, often selecting mature or partly decayed wood. The same general territory may be used repeatedly by a pair.
Behavior: Often heard before it is seen. It climbs tree trunks and branches while searching for insects and uses its powerful bill to probe and hammer into wood. Its distinctive calls carry through forested valleys and are particularly noticeable during the breeding season.
Conservation: Generally considered locally common, although suitable mature woodland and nesting trees are important for maintaining populations. Loss of old trees and fragmentation of woodland can reduce nesting opportunities.
The Japanese Green Woodpecker has a green body, pale grayish face, red crown and nape, long pointed bill and strong woodpecker-like posture. The male generally has more extensive red coloration around the face and head than the female.
Its green plumage makes it surprisingly difficult to spot in dense foliage. Listen for its characteristic vocalizations and look for movement on tree trunks and large branches.
The Japanese Green Woodpecker (アオゲラ) is one of Japan's most characteristic woodland birds. Its green plumage blends beautifully with the forest, while its vivid red head provides a striking flash of color when it appears. Found from mountain forests to satoyama and wooded parks, this resident woodpecker plays an important role in forest ecosystems by excavating tree cavities and searching for insects hidden within wood and bark.
アオゲラ Japanese Green Woodpecker
The Japanese Green Woodpecker is a striking forest woodpecker endemic to Japan. Its green body, pale underparts, red crown, and distinctive facial markings make it one of Japan’s most recognizable woodland birds. It is commonly found in mature forests, wooded hills, parks, and large gardens, where it searches for insects and larvae in trees and on the ground.
This woodpecker is often heard before it is seen, producing loud calls and characteristic drumming sounds. It climbs tree trunks with ease and uses its powerful bill to excavate wood in search of prey and to create nesting cavities. Although relatively widespread in Japan, it depends on suitable woodland habitat and mature trees for feeding and breeding.
Category
Woodpeckers, Forest Birds, Endemic Birds of Japan
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Mixed forests, deciduous woodland, mountain forests, parks and large gardens
Region
Japan, mainly Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and nearby islands
Behavior
Tree climbing, drumming, calling, insect hunting and excavating nesting cavities
Population
Widespread in suitable forest habitats and generally common in Japan
アオゲラ Japanese Green Woodpecker
アオゲラは日本を代表する森林性のキツツキの一種です。 緑色の体、淡い色の腹部、赤い頭頂部、そして特徴的な顔の模様を持ち、 日本の森でよく知られている野鳥のひとつです。主に成熟した森林や雑木林、 山地の林、都市公園や大きな庭園などに生息し、木々や地上で昆虫や幼虫を探します。
アオゲラは姿を見る前に、その大きな鳴き声や木を叩くドラミングの音で 存在に気づくことも多い鳥です。強い脚と鋭い爪で木の幹を巧みに登り、 強力なくちばしで樹皮や木材を掘って餌を探します。また、樹洞を掘って 巣を作る習性があります。日本各地の適した森林に広く分布していますが、 採餌や繁殖には成熟した樹木を含む良好な森林環境が重要です。
Category
キツツキ類、森林性鳥類、日本の固有種
IUCN Status
低危険種（Least Concern）
Habitat
混交林、落葉広葉樹林、山地の森林、公園、大きな庭園
Region
日本各地、主に本州、四国、九州および周辺の島々
Behavior
木登り、ドラミング、鳴き声、昆虫の採餌、樹洞の掘削
Population
適した森林環境に広く分布し、日本では比較的普通に見られる
