Fun Ground Woodpecker Facts For Kids
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There are only three woodpeckers that have been identified as ground dwellers. Native to South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho, the ground woodpecker is a gray-brown colored woodpecker. As the name suggests, the bird can mostly be noticed dwelling on the ground surface.
The other two ground-dwelling birds are the campo flicker and Andean flicker. The term 'Geocolaptes' has been derived from the Greek word 'geō' that translates to 'ground' combined with 'kolaptēs', implying 'chiseller'. This species is believed to be close relatives of woodpeckers belonging to the Campethera genus.
Identified to be the largest species of woodpecker within its habitat, unlike most other woodpecker species, the ground woodpecker is not a fish-eating or tree-dwelling bird. On the contrary, it sticks close to the ground foraging for food, especially pursuing swarms of ants.
The bird has a long, sticky tongue that aids in extracting larvae, pupae, and ant eggs from inaccessible narrow places like in between rocks, dead wood, or trees.
If you enjoyed reading these fun facts about the ground woodpecker, you could also look into some more uncommon facts about the hairy woodpecker and ivory-billed woodpecker.
Ground Woodpecker Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a ground woodpecker?
The ground woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) is a species of ground-dwelling as well as an ant-eating bird belonging to the Picidae family, genus Geocolaptes.
What class of animal does a ground woodpecker belong to?
A resident of South Africa, the grounded woodpecker has been classified under the Aves class and Piciformes order.
How many ground woodpeckers are there in the world?
There are over 180 woodpecker species throughout the world. Although the accurate number of ground woodpeckers currently within their geographical boundaries is unknown, a prominent decline has been noticed. This bird's population has been decreasing rapidly since the last three generations, for around 15 years.
Where does a ground woodpecker live?
The ground woodpecker range map includes several parts of South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho. They can be found in the Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape as well as the Free State Province.
What is a ground woodpecker's habitat?
These woodpeckers can be discovered in open grasslands, shrublands, rocky mountainous areas, cliffs, barren and eroded lands, swamps, reedy marshes, and bogs of South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho. They can be rarely traced on roadsides as well.
Who do ground woodpeckers live with?
The ground woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) can be mostly found in pairs, but these birds can also be spotted in small flocks.
How long does a ground woodpecker live?
The life expectancy of this species cannot be stated with precision due to inadequate research data. However, the average lifespan has been observed between 4-12 years in the wilderness. Small woodpeckers like downy woodpeckers survive for only one to two years, while other species enjoy a longer lifespan.
How do they reproduce?
Detailed information about the breeding habits of this species is not available. However, in South Africa, the ideal breeding season is the transition from spring to summer that falls between August and November. Post-breeding, the nest is excavated by digging into the banks of rivers or gullies.
Sometimes the nest is constructed in termite mounds or walls of uninhabited buildings. Unlike other woodpeckers, these birds do not nest in tree branches or crevices.
Eggs are laid between July and December. Normally, a clutch consists of three white eggs. After the arrival of the chicks, both parents take turns to feed and nurture them.
What is their conservation status?
The adult population of the ground woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) has projected a steady decline for the last two decades. Although they're pretty abundant within their geographical habitat, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the species has already qualified to the Near Threatened category, underscoring the current vulnerable position of these birds.
Ground Woodpecker Fun Facts
What do ground woodpeckers look like?
The upper mantle of the bird is gray-brown, marked with pale spots. The underwing is yellow-white or brown, while the rump is shaded in red. The undersides have a buff coloration tinged with red or pink.
This species possesses gray legs and yellow irises. The males and females exhibit almost similar plumage, with the only exception that the females have a duller shade of pink or red. The juveniles and females look alike.
How cute are they?
With their glamorous plumage, birds are one of the most beautiful creations and woodpeckers are known to possess the most vibrant plumages. Have you laid your eyes on a red-bellied woodpecker?
It's more than just adorable! However, unlike these birds, ground woodpeckers are not so appealing to the visual senses because of their dull and shabby gray-brown coloration throughout the body.
How do they communicate?
Innumerable calls and sounds have been identified with thid species, including a harsh 'pee-aa-r-g-h', the loud disyllabic 'ree-chick, ree-chick', acting as both territorial and contact calls. The sound 'krrrreee' resembles the call of a falcon, while the 'chew-kee' sound can be heard while engaging in courtship displays.
How big is a ground woodpecker?
The ground woodpecker comes in an average length of 7.9-11.8 in (20-30 cm). These birds are much smaller than the red-cockaded woodpecker measuring approximately 14 in (35.5 cm) in length.
How fast can a ground woodpecker fly?
The upper elevation limit of ground woodpeckers has been observed at 6,890 ft (2,100 m), but their flight speed still remains a mystery.
How much does a ground woodpecker weigh?
The average weight of the grounded woodpecker ranges from 0.23-0.3 lb (104.3-136 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Neither males nor females have specific names, so they are referred to as male and female ground woodpeckers, respectively.
What would you call a baby ground woodpecker?
A baby ground woodpecker is commonly regarded as a chick.
What do they eat?
Like the pileated woodpecker, the ground woodpecker indulges in an insectivorous diet. Ants form a major part of the diet.
They also feast on beetles, termites, mites, and other insects. As per the observations of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a total of 60 species of different ants have been recorded in the diet, adding up to 95 % of the total food intake. The different species of ants include Pheidole, Camponotus, Acantholepis, and Anoplolepis.
Are they dangerous?
Compared to the other woodpecker species, the diet of a ground woodpecker consists mainly of insects like termites, beetles, and ants. Therefore, these birds do not hunt down fish or violently thrash them to death before feeding on them. These birds might be territorial towards competitors but are harmless towards humans.
Would they make a good pet?
Rearing a woodpecker in captivity is a criminal offense especially due to their swiftly dwindling numbers.
Did you know...
Have you ever come across a ground woodpecker with red cheeks? A male northern flicker, also called the common flicker, possesses a red strip resembling a mustache just below the beak.
Did you know that the oldest woodpecker bird to have survived to date is the pileated woodpecker that was aged over 12 years?
What are the different types of woodpecker?
The Picidae family boasts of 236 distinct woodpecker species that have been further classified into 35 genera. Every species exhibits differences in appearance, habitat, and behavior. Most of these birds are tree-dwelling, unlike the ground woodpecker. Also, a major difference is the no-fish diet that consists mainly of insects, including different species of ants.
What is the ground woodpecker's call?
Ground woodpeckers produce innumerable calls that include a display, alarm, and contact calls while joining the flock and flight calls. Every call holds a special meaning. For instance, the two-note 'ree-chick, ree-chick' is a loud territorial call that the bird emits with a swinging head.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these frigate facts and tawny owl facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.
Second image by Alandmanson.
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