Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Summary 6
The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a medium-sized member of the woodpecker family. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker species that migrate. There are over 100 common names for the Northern Flicker. Among them are: Yellowhammer, clape, gaffer woodpecker, harry-wicket, heigh-ho, wake-up, walk-up, wick-up, yarrup, and gawker bird. Many of these names are attempts at imitating some of its...
Distribution 7
This woodpecker ranges from Alaska eastward to Quebec, then south throughout the entire United States. Northern Flickers are migratory and winter in the southern part of this range and in northern Mexico (Palmer and Fowler 1975, Farrand, Jr. 1988, Winkler et al. 1995). In addition, these woodpeckers are found on Grand Cayman, Cuba, and range as far south as the highlands of Nicaragua (Winkler et al. 1995).
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
Morphology 8
This bird is 30 to 35 cm in length (Palmer and Fowler 1975, Winkler et al. 1995). Its wingspan is 54.1 cm, tail length is 12.2 cm, and bill length is 4.2 cm (Palmer and Fowler 1975). This is the only woodpecker to have a gray-brown barred back and white rump. The male has a tan head, gray crown, red nape, black moustache, and a black cresent on the breast. Underneath, the male is light tan with heavy black spotting. The tail is black on top. In the Eastern form, Yellow-shafted Flicker, the male has yellow underwings and under the tail, while the Western form, the Red-shafted Flicker, has reddish underwings (Peterson 1967, Palmer and Fowler 1975, Farrand, Jr. 1988).
Average mass: 170.0 g.
Range length: 30.0 to 35.0 cm.
Average wingspan: 54.1 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male more colorful
Average mass: 120 g.
Habitat 9
These woodpeckers are found in wooded areas that have stands of dead trees (Palmer and Fowler 1975). They are also found in open areas, forest edges, clear-cut areas, burnt areas, agricultural lands, and residential areas (Winkler et al. 1995).
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
Migration 10
Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.
Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).
Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.
Breeding populations north of southern Canada generally move south for winter.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Minette Layne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/7232133@N08/3187140734
- (c) Minette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3320/3182556337_b4d6870980_o.jpg
- (c) faerthen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by faerthen
- (c) Cullen Hanks, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cullen Hanks
- Dewhurst, Donna, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://www.biolib.cz/IMG/GAL/20935.jpg
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colaptes_auratus
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31386928
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31386930
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31386929
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28823837
