Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted or Red-shafted form), common names include Yellowhammer, Gilded Flicker (related).

The Northern Flicker is a large, grayish-brown woodpecker with a barred back and spotted underparts. It is unique for its terrestrial foraging and the flash of brilliant color under its wings and tail during flight. This feather exemplifies the 'Red-shafted' variety.

Striking orange-red to warm yellow rachis (shaft). The vane features a bold barred pattern of dark brownish-black against a buffy-white or tan ground color. The base of the vane shows the characteristic carotenoid-rich wash.

Densely interlocked pennaceous barbs on the upper 80% with a small plumulaceous section at the base. The barbs are exceptionally stiff compared to songbirds.

Smooth, glossy, and exceptionally stiff. The surface is slick to allow for easy movement against bark while minimizing wear during bracing.

Vibrant orange/red rachis and bold dark horizontal barring on the vane. No other North American woodpecker possesses this specific combination of colored shaft and broad barring.

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

Common across North America, from the tree line in Canada/Alaska to the Gulf Coast and Mexico. Red-shafted forms predominate in the West, Yellow-shafted in the East, with a broad hybrid zone in the Great Plains.

Primary cavity nester; flickers excavate holes that are critical for dozens of 'secondary' cavity nesters like bluebirds, nuthatches, and small owls. They also control insect populations.

Gilded Flicker (Colaptes chrysoides) - mostly restricted to Saguaro cactus habitats, usually has yellow shafts. Yellow-shafted Flicker - has yellow rachis and different head markings.

The Northern Flicker is one of the few North American woodpeckers that is strongly migratory. They are also 'ant specialists,' and a single bird's stomach has been found to contain over 5,000 ants.

Good condition. The tip shows slight wear consistent with a ground-foraging woodpecker that uses its tail as a tripod. No visible fault bars or parasite damage.