Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker
Adult male Red-shafted
- Gray face with brown around eye
- Red malar (moustache)
- Brown back with horizontal black bars
- Red shafts to flight feathers (yellow in east)
- © Bill Corwin, WA, July 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Red-shafted
- Gray face, brown around eye, red malar (moustache)
- Black bib on upper breast
- Breast tan with black spots
- © Darin Ziegler, CO, Colorado Springs, November 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Red-shafted
- Barred upperparts and spotted underparts
- Black bib on upper breast
- Red malar (moustache) (black in east)
- © cdbtx, WA, Monroe, April 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Red-shafted
- Bright white rump (obvious in flight)
- Tail black above
- © Darin Ziegler, CO, Colorado Springs, November 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult female Red-shafted
- Plain gray and brown face
- Red shafts to flight feathers (yellow in east)
- Long, sturdy bill
- More often seen on ground than other woodpeckers
- © Darin Ziegler, CO, Colorado Springs, November 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Red-shafted
- Tail red below (yellow in east)
- Spotted underparts
- © JoanGeeAZ, AZ, Tucson, November 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Yellow-shafted
- Brown face with gray crown
- Black malar (moustache) (red in west)
- Barred upperparts and spotted underparts
- Red crescent on nape (absent in west)
- © fotobird1, MA, March 2007
Northern Flicker
Adult male Yellow-shafted
- Yellow shafts to flight feathers (red in west)
- Brown back with horizontal black bars
- Red crescent on nape (absent in west)
- © Brian Oyer, NY, March 2007
Northern Flicker
Adult female Yellow-shafted
- Brown face with gray crown
- Red crescent on nape (absent in west)
- Commonly forages on ground, unlike other woodpeckers
- © ashockenberry, Ontario, Canada, September 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Yellow-shafted
- Black malar (moustache) (red in west)
- Tail yellow below (red in east)
- © Steve Delloff, September 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult Yellow-shafted
- Red crescent on nape (absent in west)
- Brown back with horizontal black bars
- Tail black above
- Yellow shafts to flight feathers (red in west)
- © reemac640, ME, Bangor, September 2008
Northern Flicker
Adult male Yellow-shafted
- Brown back with horizontal black bars
- Red crescent on nape (absent in west)
- © Bill Supulski, VA, Woodbridge, February 2007
Similar Species
Adult female
- Red cap (and throat in males)
- Black and white striped face
- Black and white barred back, black wings with white line down side
- Black bib, patterned underparts
- © Robert J. Baker, VA, March 2007
Adult
- Streaked brown back and wings
- Bright yellow breast with black V
- Pale face, black, white, and yellow crown
- Western Meadowlark similar
- © Ed Schneider, Williamson, TN, February 2009
Adult male
- In U.S., only likely in Arizona
- Gray throat and cheek with contrasting brown cap
- Back paler, with thinner barring
- Red malar, oval black breast patch
- Yellow, not red, on flight feathers
- © Eric Rosenberg, Phoenix, AZ, April 2007
Adult female
- In U.S., only likely in Arizona
- Gray throat and cheek; female lacks mustache stripe
- Golden brown cap contrasts with gray cheek
- Yellow, not red, on flight feathers and tail
- Back paler with thinner barring
- © Eric Rosenberg, Phoenix, AZ, April 2007
Adult female
- Red nape and crown
- Pale, unspotted underparts and face
- Black and white barred back
- © Gary Mueller