Red-shafted Northern Flicker (Intergrade possible)
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Piciformes, Family: Picidae, Genus: Colaptes, Species: Colaptes auratus · Picidae (Woodpeckers) · Primary flight feather (Remex)
Species
Colaptes auratus (cafer subspecies group)
Feather Type
Primary flight feather (Remex)
Family
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Shape
Highly asymmetrical vane characteristic of flight feathers, narrow leading edge, tapered but slightly rounded tip, with slight emargination on the outer vane.
Size
Estimated 14-18 cm (5.5-7 inches) in length; consistent with a mid-to-outer primary of a large woodpecker.
Rarity
Common; Northern Flickers are widespread and abundant across their range.
Color & Pattern
Salmon-pink to reddish-orange shaft (rachis) and underside. The dorsal (upper) surface is a muted olive-brown to grayish-brown with subtle dark barring visible towards the tip. The ventral (under) side shows the characteristic intense orange-red flash.
Barb Structure
Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane for flight rigidity; small plumulaceous section at the very base near the calamus; barbs are stiff and resilient.
Texture & Surface
Smooth, stiff, and glossy. The feather has a high structural integrity typical of woodpeckers who require durable plumage for life around abrasive tree bark.
Description
A medium-sized woodpecker with a barred brown back and a black crescent on the breast. Unlike most woodpeckers, they forage on the ground for ants. In flight, the 'Red-shafted' variety displays a diagnostic flash of reddish-orange under the wings and tail.
Key Features
Bright salmon-red/orange rachis and under-vane combined with a grayish-brown upper vane and asymmetrical flight profile.
Habitat
Open woodlands, forest edges, suburban parks, and backyards with mature trees and open ground for foraging.
Geographic Range
Western North America from Alaska through Mexico; intergrades with the Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker in the Great Plains.
Condition Notes
Good to Fair; visible wear on the trailing edge (fraying) and some separation of the barbs near the base, likely a naturally molted feather.
Interesting Facts
Northern Flickers are one of the few North American woodpeckers that are strongly migratory. They are also famous for 'drumming' on metal objects like chimneys to amplify their territory calls.
Ecological Role
Primary cavity nester; they create holes used by many other 'secondary' cavity nesters like bluebirds and small owls. They are also major predators of ants.
Similar Species
Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (has yellow shaft/under-vane), Gilded Flicker (found in deserts, has yellow-orange shafts but different wing proportions).