2015 Bonanza Bird #10: Northern Flicker

December 10, 2015 in Birdorable Bonanza 2015, New Birds and Woodpeckers with 6 comments

Today our Birdorable Bonanza: 2015 Advent Edition continues with a New World woodpecker: the Northern Flicker!

The Northern Flicker is a fairly common and widespread species across its range and can be found across North America. There are two living subspecies: the yellow-shafted and the red-shafted.

Yellow-shafted flickers show yellow under the tail and wings; these are found in the eastern part of the range. Red-shafted flickers are found in the west and show red under the tail and wings.

In the past, these subspecies have been considered completely separate full species. The closely related Gilded Flicker was formerly also considered to be the same species as the Northern Flicker.

Unusual among woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker can often be found feeding on the ground. They like to eat ants and other insects which they forage by probing the earth with their beaks.

Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) by wplynn (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) by Nick Varvel (CC BY 2.0)

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus cafer)

Red-shafted Northern Flicker by Dominic Sherony (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Northern Flicker is our 626th Birdorable bird. Be sure to check out our collection of apparel and gifts featuring the Birdorable Northern Flicker!

Our Bonanza continues tomorrow with a small and very colorful flycatcher of South America. Can you guess tomorrow's species?

Comments

???c????? ????? (White-throated Sparrow) on December 10, 2015 at 3:28 PM wrote:

Yep, right! Idk for the next bird...

???c????? ????? (White-throated Sparrow) on December 10, 2015 at 3:29 PM wrote:

And, you should add a "state bird of Alabama" for the yellow shafted form, I'm not from there but I know it's the state bird. And add the gilded flicker later

Louise Warner on February 9, 2017 at 6:34 PM wrote:

u really need the the black gulimot sometimes. OKAY!

Louise Warner on April 9, 2017 at 6:08 PM wrote:

many colored rush tryant

Spurwing Plover on May 21, 2022 at 10:45 PM wrote:

We have the Red Shafted Flicker they have apitite for Ants and will often sit a snap up the ants as they leave the nest

Spurwing Plover on June 5, 2025 at 2:49 AM wrote:

Another name f or the Yellow Shafted Flicker is Yellow Hammer the State Bird of Alabama

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