Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted Flicker, Common Flicker)

The Northern Flicker is a large, distinctive woodpecker with brownish plumage barred with black on the back and spotted below with black on a white breast. It has a distinctive red crescent on the nape (in yellow-shafted forms) and a white rump that is highly visible in flight.

Brownish-gray with dark barring on the vanes and a striking, vibrant yellow-orange (or golden-yellow) central rachis, which is diagnostic for the yellow-shafted morph of this species.

Pennaceous structure with tightly interlocked barbs and barbules along the upper portion, transitioning to a slightly looser plumulaceous base.

Smooth and relatively stiff along the vane with a semi-glossy finish, typical of avian flight and wing covert feathers.

The most diagnostic feature is the brilliant yellow-orange coloration of the central rachis (shaft), distinguishing it from the red-shafted subspecies and most other woodpecker species.

Open woodlands, forest edges, clearings, suburban parks, and yards with scattered trees and dead snags for nesting.

Widespread across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada down through the United States and into parts of Central America and the Caribbean.

Primary cavity excavator that creates nesting holes utilized by numerous secondary cavity nesters, including bluebirds, swallows, owls, and small mammals.

Red-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus cafer), which features bright red rachises instead of yellow-orange.

Unlike most woodpeckers, Northern Flickers spend a significant amount of time on the ground foraging primarily for ants and beetles, using a specialized barbed tongue that can extend nearly two inches beyond the bill tip.

Good condition with intact barbs and a strong, unbroken rachis, showing minimal wear or fading.