Northern Flicker Photo Gallery

Male (Yellow-shafted)

Large woodpecker with a black bib and spotted belly. Males in the East have a red nape, a black whisker, and yellow shafts on the flight and tail feathers.

Male (Red-shafted)

Males in the West have a red whisker while those in the East have a black whisker. The upperparts are mostly brownish-gray with black barring. White rump sometimes visible while perched.

Female (Yellow-shafted)

Often sits sideways on branches, unlike other woodpeckers. Note yellow underside of tail; "Yellow-shafted" females lack the black mustache mark of males.

Female (Yellow-shafted)

Females have a peachy-brown face, a gray crown and nape, and a red spot on the nape. Buffy underparts densely spotted with black.

Female (Red-shafted)

Male (Red-shafted)

Main call is a loud, rolling rattle with a piercing tone that lasts 7 or 8 seconds. Male "Red-shafted" form has red mustache stripe.

Female (Yellow-shafted)

In flight note the white rump patch. Birds in the East flash yellow shafts on the flight feathers and tail.

Male (Red-shafted)

In flight, its white rump contrasts with the rest of the plumage. Individuals in the West have red shafts to the flight feathers and tail that are usually obvious in flight.

Female (Red-shafted)

A main food source is ants, and flickers often forage on the ground for them. Female "Red-shafted" form has a gray face and lacks both a red crescent on the nape and a mustache stripe. This video has no audio.

Male (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted intergrade)

Intergrade individuals usually have a mixture of the plumage markings of Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted birds and an orange color in the flight feathers.

Male (Yellow-shafted)

Shows a bold white rump in flight.

Male (Red-shafted)

"Red-shafted" form has pink-red in tail and wing feathers. Males have red mustache stripe. May feed vertically on tree trunks like other woodpeckers; often feeds from the ground on ants.