Campethera abingoni
Golden-tailed Woodpeckers are denizens of a wide variety of woodland habitats, especially those dominated by burkea, miombo and mopane trees, and coastal and riverine forests, but it also occurs in thickets in more open or arid areas. Like other woodpeckers it probes under bark and inside wood for insects. Adults weigh around 70g and grow to a length of 21cm.
Golden-tailed Woodpeckers form permanent, monogamous pairs. Both partners excavate the nest on the underside of a branch (nests may be used for consecutive years) and take turns to incubate the clutch of 2 or 3 eggs over a period of 2 weeks during the spring-summer breeding season. The chicks leave the nest when they’re a month old but remain dependent on their parents for a few weeks more thereafter.
The IUCN lists the Golden-tailed Woodpecker as being of least concern. It occurs widely in east, central and southern Africa – in South Africa they are to be found in Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West and parts of the Northern Cape.
DeWetsWild 
He’s a handsome fella!
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Most certainly, thanks Kathy!
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I love woodpeckers, although I don’t see why they don’t all have colossal headaches a/o concussions. 🙂
janet
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It must take an amazing physiology to withstand the repeated impact!
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These busy little birds can be tricky to photograph!
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I think the golden-tailed woodpeckers are a bit less troubled by humans and so are easier to photograph?
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Perhaps they are, but still very active ☺
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Lieflike foto’s, van hierdie mooi speg. Hulle sit nie sommer stil nie en as daardie koppie so kap, is my foto’s gewoonlik uit fokus. Welgedaan, Dries!
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Baie dankie,Dina! Dit lyk vir my of die goudstertspegte bietjie makker is as ander van hul soort en daarom kry mens makliker fotos van hulle.
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Beautiful photographs!
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Thank you, Anne!
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It’s a very cute tiny woodpecker!😊 We have 8 different woodpeckers here in Sweden, but I have only seen one of them. Right place in wrong time, or vice verse…😁
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Very interesting that you have such a large variety of woodpeckers, John!
On a totally different subject; I’m not seeing any new posts from your blog in my reader – is everything OK?
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I have been so tired the latest time so I have not even been out and shoot something. Some days after work I have not even open my pc. I have a slipped disc in my back and I lifted too heavily and too much a couple of weeks ago and had a lot of pain since then. Ok to go but not to bend me.
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I hope you feel much better soon, John!
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Very nice shots of this handsome woodpecker. Glad it is of “least concern”.
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Thanks, Hien. Good to know that we’re not driving everything into extinction (yet?)
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