Photo: Timothy Whitehead / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ground Woodpecker
Geocolaptes olivaceus
Ground Woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Africa.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ground Woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 120 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Geocolaptes
- Species olivaceus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 120 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ground Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Ground Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ground Woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Africa and Lesotho.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 120 g, with a wing length of about 12.8 cm and a tail of around 9.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 774,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ground Woodpecker?
The Ground Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 120 g.
Where does the Ground Woodpecker live?
The Ground Woodpecker is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Africa and Lesotho, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Ground Woodpecker belong to?
The Ground Woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Ground Woodpecker eat?
The Ground Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ground Woodpecker migrate?
The Ground Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ground Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Ground Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Ground Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Ground Woodpecker's range?
The Ground Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 774,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.