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 red or black facial crescent. Unlike many other woodpeckers, they frequently spend time on the ground foraging for ants.

Rich brown background with bold, contrasting black barring across the vanes, interspersed with whitish or buff spots, featuring a whitish to pale yellowish rachis

Pennaceous upper portion with tightly interlocked barbs and barbules; plumulaceous fluff at the extreme base near the calamus

Smooth, firm, and slightly glossy on the upper surface with a matte underside, offering good durability and water resistance

Bold black horizontal barring on a warm brown background, combined with rounded tips and a pale shaft, highly diagnostic of woodpecker mantle or scapular feathers

Open woodlands, forest edges, woodlots, urban parks, and suburban yards with scattered mature trees and dead snags for foraging and nesting

Widespread across North America, extending from Alaska and Canada down through the United States to Mexico, with varying migratory habits in northern vs. southern zones

Act as a keystone species by excavating tree cavities used by numerous secondary cavity nesters, while controlling populations of ants and wood-boring insects

Red-bellied Woodpecker or Downy Woodpecker, though their patterning tends to feature more linear or checkered black-and-white stripes rather than warm brown bars and spots

Northern Flickers have exceptionally long, barbed tongues that can extend nearly two inches beyond the bill tip to extract ants and beetles from underground nests

Excellent condition with intact barbs, clean edges, vibrant coloration, and no visible fraying or sun bleaching