About the Ground Woodpecker
The ground woodpecker is one of only three ground-dwelling woodpeckers in the world. It inhabits rather barren, steep, boulder-strewn slopes in relatively cool hilly and mountainous areas of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini and has yet to be recorded outside of Southern Africa. It is found in a broad swath running from southwest to northeast, from the Cape Peninsula and Namaqualand to Mpumalanga. It is closely related to the woodpeckers of the genus Campethera, some of which also employ terrestrial foraging strategies.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Piciformes |
| Family | Woodpeckers (Picidae) |
| Species | Geocolaptes olivaceus |
| Species Codes | growoo1, GRWO |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Ground Woodpecker belong to?
The Ground Woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) belongs to the Woodpeckers family (Picidae), in the order Piciformes.
How can I identify the Ground Woodpecker?
The ground woodpecker is one of only three ground-dwelling woodpeckers in the world. It inhabits rather barren, steep, boulder-strewn slopes in relatively cool hilly and mountainous areas of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini and has yet to be recorded outside of Southern Africa. It is found in a br...
Where can I report a Ground Woodpecker sighting?
You can log sightings of Ground Woodpecker on eBird (ebird.org) using species code growoo1, or on iNaturalist.