Western Cape
Cederberg Wilderness Area · Anysberg · Grootvadersbosch
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Ground Woodpecker in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Ground Woodpecker at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Anysberg Nature Reserve.
Geocolaptes olivaceus · Near Threatened
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Ground Woodpecker
Hosts have recorded the Ground Woodpecker at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Anysberg Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Western Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Giants Castle · Ithala
KwaZulu-NatalSelf-driveStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Geocolaptes olivaceus
Records
585
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Ground Woodpecker on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Ground Woodpecker in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Ground Woodpecker at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Kogelberg Nature Reserve and Table Mountain National Park and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Ground Woodpecker in South Africa?
The Ground Woodpecker is most recorded in Western Cape (60% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (21% of records), Eastern Cape (8% of records), based on 585 iNaturalist observations. 49 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Ground Woodpecker on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Ground Woodpecker?
The Ground Woodpecker is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Ground Woodpecker?
The Ground Woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Ground Woodpecker?
The ground woodpecker (Geocolaptes olivaceus) is one of only three ground-dwelling woodpeckers in the world (the others are the Andean and Campo flickers). It inhabits rather barren, steep, boulder-strewn slopes in relatively cool hilly and mountainous areas of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland and has yet to be recorded outside of Southern Africa.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Ground Woodpecker
Every stay on the Ground Woodpecker page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay