Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 11 in
28 cm - Wingspan
- 18.9 in
48 cm - Weight
- 3.2–4.6 oz
92–129 g
Other Names
- Pic chrysolïde (French)
- Carpintero aliamarillo, Carpintero de alas amarillas (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- A study reported that European Starlings had no effect on the nesting success of the Gilded Flicker in saguaro cactus, even though the two birds compete for nest holes. Starlings did negatively affect the Gila Woodpecker, perhaps because they were able to displace the smaller woodpecker. The larger and more aggressive Gilded Flicker may have been better able to compete for holes.
- In the 1960s, taxonomists grouped the Gilded Flicker with the Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted flickers as a single species, the Northern Flicker, in recognition of the extensive interbreeding of the forms. The limited hybridization of the Gilded Flicker with the other forms, especially in light of their widespread hybrid zone, was the basis for the later change to recognize the Gilded Flicker as its own species.
- The oldest recorded Gilded Flicker was at least 6 years, 4 months old and lived in Arizona.
Habitat
Deserts
Strongly associated with, but not completely restricted to, giant cactus forests of southwestern deserts.
Food
Insects
Insects, primarily ants. Also fruits and seeds.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–8 eggs
- Egg Description
- White.
- Condition at Hatching
- Naked and helpless.
Nest Description
Digs hole in saguaro cactus. Cavity unlined.
Nest Placement
Cavity
Behavior
Ground Forager
Forages primarily on ground.
Conservation
Least Concern
Gilded Flicker populations appear to have declined between 1966 and 2014, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 600,000, with 40% living in the U.S., and 60% in Mexico. The species rates a 14 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, and are on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List, which lists bird species that are at risk of becoming threatened or endangered without conservation action.
Credits
- Moore, W. S. 1995. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus). In The Birds of North America, No. 166 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
- North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. 2014. State of the Birds 2014 Report. U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC.
- Partners in Flight. 2012. Species assessment database.
- USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 2015. Longevity records of North American Birds.
- USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 2014. North American Breeding Bird Survey 1966–2014 Analysis.