Red-shafted Northern Flicker
Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Piciformes; Family: Picidae; Genus: Colaptes; Species: Colaptes auratus
Family: Picidae (Woodpeckers)
- Shape
- Asymmetrical vane typical of flight feathers, with a slightly rounded tip and an elongated profile; the leading edge is narrower than the trailing edge
- Size
- Estimated 5 to 7 inches (12-18 cm) in length, which falls within the standard range for Northern Flicker remiges
- Rarity
- Common and widespread within its range, though specifically finding a clean flight feather requires timing during the late summer molt
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Description
This feather comes from a Northern Flicker, a large, brown-toned woodpecker. The bird is known for its black breast crescent, spotted belly, and flashing colors under the wings and tail during flight. Unlike most woodpeckers, Flickers are often seen on the ground eating ants.
Colour & Pattern
Distinctive salmon-pink to reddish-orange on the ventral side and within the quills; the dorsal surface is typically a brownish-grey with subtle barring, but the 'shaft' color is the diagnostic feature
Barb Structure
Mainly pennaceous with tightly interlocked barbs for flight efficiency; some plumulaceous (downy) barbs present at the very base of the quill
Texture & Surface
Smooth and somewhat stiff; the surface has a matte to semi-glossy finish, designed for durability against elements and wood surfaces
Key Features
The diagnostic bright salmon-red rachis is the primary key feature; the overall brownish-grey tone of the outer vane combined with this 'red shaft' is unique to this subspecies
Habitat
Open woodlands, forest edges, yards, parks, and grasslands with scattered trees; they are unusual woodpeckers that frequently forage on the ground
Geographic Range
Western North America, from Alaska and Western Canada south through the United States to Mexico; interacts with the Yellow-shafted subspecies in a broad hybrid zone across the Great Plains
Ecological Role
Primary cavity nester; they create holes in trees that are vital for many other 'secondary' cavity-nesting species like bluebirds and small owls; they also keep ant populations in check
Similar Species
Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (has yellow quills), Gilded Flicker (found in saguaro deserts, similar but smaller and paler), and various hawks (which lack the reddish rachis)
Interesting Facts
Northern Flickers have long, barbed tongues that can extend 2 inches beyond their beak to extract ants from the ground; they are one of the few North American woodpeckers that are strongly migratory in the northern parts of their range
Condition Notes
The feather appears to be in Good condition, though it shows some separation of the barbs near the base (unzipping) and a slight bend in the rachis, possibly from a natural molt shed