Ground Woodpecker

 Ground Woodpecker . 

They perch on rocks where they are well camouflaged, often sidling over to one side and peering over the top at intruders . Their flight is undulating but they  forage mainly on the ground by pecking , digging and flicking with their bills . They probe with their long sticky tongue into cracks between stones or into dead wood .  Ninety five percent of their food is ants including the larvae , pupae and eggs .

Their voice is a far carrying ” dwerr or tik – werr ” and a ringing “ree – chick “. They also have an alarm call ” pee- aargh “

Breeding takes place from August to November . The nest is a burrow in the vertical wall of a donga , river bank or cutting . The tunnel entry can be 50 – 100 cm long . Usually 3 glossy white eggs are laid . Incubation and nestling periods are unrecorded .

The isiZulu name is umNqangqandolo and in Afrikaans die Grondspeg.