The olive woodpecker (Dendropicos griseocephalus) is the only woodpecker in the Southern African region that is not speckled, having plain olive green plumage. The male has a bright red cap, while the female’s head is entirely grey. It is native to central, east and southern Africa, from the Ruwenzori Mountains to the Western Cape. It inhabits a range of wooded and forested habitats from 450–3,700 m (1,480–12,140 ft). It is usually found in pairs, but also singly and in family groups. The scientific name for the Olive woodpecker is Dendropicos griseocephalus; Dendropicos from the Greek for a “tree pecker”; and griseocephalus from the Latin for a “grey head”.
