Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted variant)

A medium-sized woodpecker with a brownish barred back and a black 'crescent' on the chest. Known for its 'wick-wick-wick' call and its spectacular flash of yellow (or red in the West) under the wings and tail during flight.

Bright golden-yellow shaft and inner vannes, transitioning to a dark brownish-black or charcoal tip and distal outer edge. This is the classic 'Yellow-shafted' morph found in Eastern North America.

Tightly pennaceous and interlocked for aerodynamic efficiency, with plumulaceous (downy) barbs only at the very base (calamus area).

Stiff, glossy, and highly durable. The surface feels smooth and waxy to assist in water shedding and to resist abrasion against bark.

Vibrant yellow rachis (shaft), sharply pointed tip, and the contrast between the golden yellow base and dark tip.

Open woodlands, edges, yards, and parks. Unlike most woodpeckers, they are frequently seen foraging on the ground for ants.

Common across North America; the Yellow-shafted form is primarily found in the East and North, from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains.

Primary cavity nester; the holes they excavate are vital homes for secondary cavity-nesting birds like bluebirds and nuthatches.

Red-shafted Northern Flicker (which has salmon-red shafts) and the Gilded Flicker (found in desert regions).

The Northern Flicker is one of the few North American woodpeckers that is strongly migratory. They also consume more ants than almost any other bird in North America.

Good condition. The tip shows slight wear, likely from use as a mechanical support while the bird was climbing or drumming.