About Dendropicos goertae (P.L.S.Müller, 1776)
Like other woodpeckers, this species has a straight, pointed bill, a stiff tail that provides support against tree trunks, and zygodactyl or "yoked" feet, with two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward. Its long tongue can be darted forward to capture insects. This bird is 20 cm (7.9 in) in length. It has the typical shape of a woodpecker, with unmarked green upperparts and a pale grey head and underparts. The rump is red, and there is a small red patch on the belly. The short tail is blackish. Adult males of this grey woodpecker have a red crown. Females have a plain grey head and do not have a red crown. Young birds resemble females, but their red markings are paler, and they may have some barring on their flanks. The African grey woodpecker is native to tropical regions of western and central Africa. Its range covers Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. Its typical habitats include woodland, savannah with isolated trees, copses of larger trees, riverside forest and pasture. Like other woodpeckers, this species is an insectivore. It is seen frequently, and regularly taps or drums on wood. Its call is a loud, fast series of peet-peet-peet-peet.
