Northern flicker Colaptes auratus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 10.5-11 inches
• Large woodpecker
• 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
• Two color forms, formerly separate species

"Yellow-shafted"

eastern United States and Canada
• Tail and underwings are entirely yellow below, and retricies and primaries have yellow shafts
• Red crescent on nape
• Gray cap and nape
• Tan face, chin, and throat
• Adult male has black whisker

"Red-shafted"

western United States and Canada
• Tail and underwings are entirely red below, and retricies and primaries have red shafts
• Brown crown
• Gray face
• Adult male has red whisker

Similar species:

The Gilded Flicker can be told from the "Red-shafted Flicker" by its yellow underwings and from the "Yellow-shafted Flicker" by its lack of red at the rear of the head, pale brown cap and pale gray face, a paler brown back, and the male sports a red rather than black whisker.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.