Gilded Flicker Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesGilded Flicker
Male
Larger woodpecker with a tan crown, a gray face, a black oval-shaped bib, and black spots on the belly. Males have a red mustache stripe.
© Bradley Hacker 🦜 / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 17, 2019Female
Barred black and tan above and spotted below. Females have a tan crown and gray cheek and throat.
© Glenn Kincaid / Macaulay LibraryArizona, December 22, 2015Adult male
Large woodpecker with a tan crown, gray face, spotted underparts, and barred upperparts. Male has a red malar stripe.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 27, 2021Not all videos have sound
Male
Larger woodpecker with an oval-shaped black bib that is often larger than the bib on Northern Flickers.
© Neil Rucker / Macaulay LibraryArizona, May 17, 2020Male
Yellow underwings and white rump patch are visible in flight. Note gray cheeks and throat and tan crown. Only males have a red mustache stripe.
© Michael O'Brien / Macaulay LibraryArizona, July 11, 2016Male
Found in the Sonoran Desert in areas with dense stands of saguaro cacti. Often seen perched atop saguaro cacti.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryArizonaNot all videos have sound
Male
Found in the Sonoran Desert in areas with dense stands of saguaro cacti where it often builds its nest.
© carolyn spidle / Macaulay LibraryArizona, March 08, 2016Similar SpeciesNorthern Flicker
Male (Red-shafted)
Northern Flickers in western North America have red under the tail and wings, where Gilded Flickers are yellow. Northern Flickers also have less brown on the head than Gilded Flickers.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryNevada, October 08, 2015Similar SpeciesNorthern Flicker
Male (Yellow-shafted)
Northern Flickers in eastern North America have yellow under the wings and tail as do Gilded Flickers, but their ranges do not overlap. Male Northern Flickers have a black mustache that Gilded Flickers lack.
© Warren Lynn / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, January 15, 2014Similar SpeciesGila Woodpecker
Male
Gila Woodpeckers have black-and-white barring on the back whereas Gilded Flickers have black-and-brown barring on the back.
© Thomas Anderson / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 23, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Woodpeckers(Order: Piciformes, Family: Picidae)
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