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Ground Woodpecker

Geocolaptes olivaceus

Photo by AdamRiley
Published on Project Noah
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-29.6, 29.3

Field Notes

Description:

The Ground Woodpecker is an endemic species to South Africa and in appearance and behavior it is completely different to other members of its family. Its genealogy indicates that the Ground Woodpecker is a very ancient diversion off the standard woodpecker evolutionary lineage. They are almost entirely restricted to ground level, but the family groups often perch on exposed boulders issuing forth their strange gull-like shrieks.

Habitat:

Rocky and mountainous areas of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)

Hi Adam - your very nice spotting is featured in today's Project Noah blog on woodpeckers: http://blog.projectnoah.org/post/57156370069/woodpeckers-around-the-world
Photographed
PublishedOctober 19, 2011

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