Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Aves › Piciformes › Picidae › Colaptes
Conservation status: least_concern
The northern flicker or common flicker is a medium-sized bird of the woodpecker family. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker species that migrate. Over 100 common names for the northern flicker are known, including yellowhammer, clape, gaffer woodpecker, harry-wicket, heigh-ho, wake-up, walk-up, wick-up, yarrup, and gawker bird. Many of these names derive from attempts to imitate some of its calls.
How To Identify
They are medium-sized woodpeckers easily identified by their pale yellow to buff underparts and brown back plumage. Males often have distinct red markings on the vent area, while females typically feature a duller yellow wash.
Habitat
Northern Flickers inhabit open woodlands, grasslands, forest edges, parks, and suburban areas across North America, favoring places with a mix of trees and open ground for foraging.
Behaviour
Unlike most woodpeckers, Northern Flickers drum less and instead perform an undulating flight pattern with distinctive white rump patches visible in flight, and they often call loudly from exposed perches.
Native Range
The northern flicker is native to most of North America parts of Central America Cuba and the Cayman Islands.
Did You Know?
Northern Flickers are unique among woodpeckers for their preference to forage on the ground for ants and termites rather than drilling into trees. They can consume up to 5,000 ants in a single day using their exceptionally long, barbed tongue.
Create a free account to log your sightings of the Northern Flicker, see where it has been recorded near you and build your Wild List.
Privacy · Terms · Impressum · Credits · About the beta