Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted or Red-shafted Flicker)

The Northern Flicker is a large, distinctive woodpecker with brownish plumage barred with black, a white rump patch visible in flight, and a red or yellow wash on the underwings and tail shafts

Dark brownish-gray background with distinct white spotting or barring along the edges and a yellowish or brownish shaft

Pennaceous vane on the upper portion, transitioning to semiplume or downy barbs near the base

Stiff and relatively smooth along the pennaceous section with a flexible, slightly fluffy base

Stiff rachis, pointed tip for propping against tree bark, and brownish coloration with white spotting or barring

Open woodlands, forest edges, clearings, suburban parks, and yards with scattered trees

Widespread across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada down through the United States to Central America

Important cavity excavator that creates homes for many secondary cavity-nesting birds and mammals

Other woodpecker species such as the Red-bellied Woodpecker or Hairy Woodpecker, distinguished by different spot and bar patterns

Unlike most woodpeckers, Northern Flickers spend a lot of time on the ground foraging primarily for ants and beetles

Good condition, mostly intact barbs with minor wear at the tip