Green Woodpeckers and Professor Yaffle

This week on Bird Brain, I’m joined by ecologist, bird ringer, and rewilding champion Penny Green, fresh from a decade at Knepp and now heading into her next wild chapter on the South Downs.We’re talking about Green Woodpeckers (also known as yaffles), with a specific focus on Professor Yaffle from Bagpuss. We look at everything, from their role as habitat engineers to their unmistakable laugh. Penny shares what it’s been like witnessing nature bounce back at Knepp, why unimproved meadows are more vital than ever, and how her new podcast The Wandering Ecologist aims to lift us out of doomscrolling and celebrate what’s working in the world of conservation.If you like your bird chat with a healthy dose of hope, woodpecker lore, and practical ecology, this one’s for you.Follow Penny on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sussex_emerald?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=dTVlamx1eHF5dnA=