Where to See & Photograph the Iberian Green Woodpecker | Wild Atlas Guide

The Iberian green woodpecker (Picus sharpei) is a medium-sized woodpecker endemic to the Iberian peninsula. It was formerly considered as a subspecies of the European green woodpecker but differs in having little black on the head and a dusky rather than a black ring around each eye. Its sound has been described as sibilant, or hiss-like. == Taxonomy == The Iberian green woodpecker was described by Howard Saunders in 1872 and given the binomial name Gecinus sharpei. He chose the specific epithet to honour his friend, the English zoologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe, who he credited with first distinguishing it from the European green woodpecker (Picus viridis) and Levaillant's woodpecker (Picus vaillantii). The Iberian green woodpecker was usually treated as a subspecies of the European green woodpecker but two separate studies published in 2011 found that there were significant differences in both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences between the two populations. Based on these results the Iberian green woodpecker is now considered as a separate species. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

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Reserva natural dels Nou Pins·Tiana·Spain

Iberian Green Woodpecker · Great Spotted Woodpecker+17

4 max.All year

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Birding TourEasy

Birds & Nature Tours

12 Days Birds & Culture Programme in Southern Portugal

Birds & Nature Tours·Portugal

10–21 Feb 2027 and 2 more dates

12 days 7 EN · PT Greater Flamingo · White Stork +60

Multi-ActivityEasy

Birds & Nature Tours

12 Days Birds & Wine Programme in Portugal

Birds & Nature Tours·Portugal

4–15 Nov 2026 and 2 more dates

12 days 7 EN · PT Greater Flamingo · White Stork +71

Birding TourEasy

Birds & Nature Tours

12 Days in Spain Birdwatching Programme

Birds & Nature Tours·Spain

22 May – 2 Jun 2027 and 1 more date

12 days 7 EN · ES · PT Great Bustard · Little Bustard +75

Birding TourEasy

Birds & Nature Tours

12 Days Portugal & Spain Birdwatching Programme

Birds & Nature Tours·Portugal·Spain

25 Nov – 6 Dec 2026 and 1 more date

12 days 7 EN · PT Greater Flamingo · White Stork +67

Birding TourEasy

Birds & Nature Tours

Private Full-Day Birdwatching Tour from Algarve to the Alentejo (Castro Verde and the Guadiana Valley)

Birds & Nature Tours·Portugal

1 day 4 EN · PT Montagu’s Harrier · Little Bustard +28

Birding TourEasy

Birds & Nature Tours

Private Full-Day Birdwatching Tour from Lisbon to the Alentejo (Castro Verde and the Guadiana Valley)

Birds & Nature Tours·Portugal

1 day 4 EN · PT Western Red Deer · Montagu’s Harrier +21

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Desert & Arid Lands

Bardenas Reales

Arguedas·Spain

+234 birds+10 mammals

Forest & Jungle

Bosc de Virós

Ainet de Besan·Spain

+126 birds+10 mammals

Forest & Jungle

Bosques de Plan

San Juan de Plan·Spain

+125 birds+4 mammals

Cabañeros National Park

Retuerta del Bullaque·Spain

+183 birds+8 mammals

Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park

San José·Spain

+274 birds+11 mammals

Observation Point

Cabo Peñas

Susacasa·Spain

+303 birds+21 mammals

Cadí Moixeró Natural Park

+172 birds+21 mammals

Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park

Santa María de las Hoyas·Spain

+136 birds+2 mammals

Cap de Creus Natural Park

+245 birds+23 mammals

Where to see & photograph the Iberian Green Woodpecker (73 more) →

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