Red-Shafted Flicker
Colaptes auratus sbsp. cafer
One of the most beautiful birds I have ever the had the good luck to spot in nature: It is the Western North America subspecies of Northern Flicker. They are red under the tail and underwings and have red shafts on their primaries. They have a beige cap and a grey face. Only males have a red moustache. The females had a more yellow marking next to the cheeks. At 12-14 inches long, they are medium sized woodpeckers. They have rounded brownish heads with gray or brown crowns and bills which curve downwards. Their backs are brown with black barring. They have tan bellies and chests with black spots and white rumps. They also sport black bibs on their chests. In Bishop Park, CA.
The Northern Flicker 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.
