Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted or Red-shafted)

The Northern Flicker is a large, distinctive woodpecker with brownish plumage, a barred back, a spotted breast, and a prominent black crescent on the chest. Unlike most woodpeckers, they frequently forage on the ground for ants and beetles, using their slightly curved bill and specialized tail feathers for support.

Striking barred pattern of blackish-brown and white, featuring distinct rounded spots and heavy dark barring across a pale greyish or white background, with a dark central rachis

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels, sturdy and adapted for mechanical support against bark

Stiff, durable, and semi-glossy texture with rigid vanes designed to withstand abrasion against rough tree bark

Distinctive bold black-and-white barring and spotting on a stiff tail feather with a dark, robust rachis, characteristic of woodpecker retrices

Open woodlands, forest edges, clearings, suburban parks, and semi-desert habitats with standing dead trees or snags for nesting and foraging

Widespread across North America, extending south into parts of Central America and the Caribbean, with migratory populations in the north and resident populations in the south

Key cavity excavator that creates nesting homes for numerous secondary cavity nesters such as bluebirds, swallows, and small owls, while controlling ant and insect populations

Pileated Woodpecker or Red-bellied Woodpecker feathers, though distinguished by the specific size, barring pattern, and distinct spotting unique to the flicker

Northern Flickers have exceptionally long, barbed tongues that can extend nearly two inches past the tip of their bill to extract ants directly from underground nests

Good condition with minor wear at the tip, showing typical abrasion from propping against rough bark surfaces