Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted Flicker, Common Flicker)

The Northern Flicker is a large, distinctive woodpecker with brownish plumage barred with black and a white patch on the rump that is conspicuous in flight. Unlike most woodpeckers, they frequently forage on the ground, primarily specializing on ants and beetles using a specialized barbed tongue.

Striking pattern of blackish-brown bars and spots on a pale whitish to buff background, featuring a bright yellow-orange rachis characteristic of the yellow-shafted subspecies group

Pennaceous vane structure tightly interlocked along the upper portion, becoming somewhat plumulaceous or frayed near the base with a small, rudimentary afterfeather typical of some birds

Stiff, rigid texture with a matte finish, specifically adapted to provide mechanical support when the bird props itself against tree trunks

Bright yellow-orange central shaft (rachis), bold black barring and spotting on a pale background, and stiff, pointed tail structure

Open woodlands, forest edges, clearings, suburban parks, and semi-open country with scattered trees and snags

Widespread across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada down through the United States to Central America and the Caribbean, with eastern forms migrating and western forms largely resident

Acts as a primary cavity excavator, creating nesting and roosting homes for dozens of secondary cavity-nesting species like bluebirds, swallows, and small owls

Red-shafted Flicker, which features brilliant red-orange rachises and wing linings instead of yellow

Northern Flickers can consume up to 3,000 ants in a single day and have barbed tongues that can extend up to two inches beyond their bill tip

Good condition with minor wear at the tip, showing typical use as a prop feather