Northern (Red-shafted) flicker Colaptes auratus cafer

Identification Tips:

• Large woodpecker
• Brown cap and nape
• Gray face, chin, and throat
• Brown back and wings barred with black
• Black crescent on upper breast
• Beige breast and belly spotted heavily with black
• White rump (obvious in flight)
• Tail dark above
• Tail and underwings are entirely red below, and retricies and primaries have red shafts

Adult male:

• Red whisker

Similar species:

Could only be confused with other flickers. Yellow-shafted Flicker is currently considered the same species but is easily identified by the yellow undersurface to its tail and flight feathers, its red mark at the rear of the head, and its gray crown and tan face. The Gilded Flicker is similar in patterning, but is paler about the head and also shows yellow underwings and undertail.