Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Woodpeckers & Toucans

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of the United States Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Northwest Territories Birds of Nunavut

By family

Woodpeckers of Canada Woodpeckers of the United States Woodpeckers of Alberta Woodpeckers of British Columbia Woodpeckers of Manitoba Woodpeckers of Nova Scotia

See what's near you right now

The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 131 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Piciformes
Family Picidae Woodpeckers
Genus Colaptes
Species auratus

Where it lives

Widespread

Quick facts

Weight: 131 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Picidae
Order: Piciformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Main colours Black Brown Yellow

Male vs female

In the eastern 'Yellow-shafted' form both sexes are grayish-brown with black bars above, a black-spotted buffy belly, a black chest crescent, a red nape crescent, and yellow flight-feather shafts; the male has a black malar ('mustache') stripe that the female lacks. (Western 'Red-shafted' birds show red shafts and a red male malar, and typically lack the red nape crescent.)

Juvenile appearance

Juveniles resemble adults but are duller and looser-plumaged, and the crown is variably washed with red — especially in males — a reddish crown suffusion adults of neither sex show; the red nuchal patch is somewhat broader, and the malar (present and blackish in eastern juvenile males) is lacking in females as in adults.

Similar birds

Least Concern

Chilean Flicker

Colaptes pitius

Least Concern

Campo Flicker

Colaptes campestris

Least Concern

Guatemalan Flicker

Colaptes mexicanoides

Endangered

Okinawa Woodpecker

Dendrocopos noguchii

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Northern Flicker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Northern Flicker is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA widespread.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 131 g, with a wing length of about 15.7 cm and a tail of around 11 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 10.8 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Northern Flicker — Call

Recorded by Jim Berry Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Northern Flicker?

The Northern Flicker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 131 g.

Where does the Northern Flicker live?

The Northern Flicker is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Northern Flicker belong to?

The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.

What does the Northern Flicker eat?

The Northern Flicker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Northern Flicker migrate?

The Northern Flicker is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Northern Flicker endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Northern Flicker make?

1 real field recording of the Northern Flicker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Northern Flicker's range?

The Northern Flicker has a mapped global range of about 10.8 million km².