Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian | Златист шилоклюн кълвач |
| Czech | datel zlatý |
| Danish | Guldspætte |
| Dutch | Gouden Grondspecht |
| English | Northern Flicker |
| English (United States) | Northern Flicker |
| French | Pic flamboyant |
| French (France) | Pic flamboyant |
| German | Goldspecht |
| Greek | Χρυσός Δρυοκολάπτης |
| Hebrew | נקר צפון-אמריקני |
| Hungarian | Északi hangyászküllő |
| Icelandic | Gullklambra |
| Japanese | ハシボソキツツキ |
| Lithuanian | Paprastasis ylasnapis genys |
| Norwegian | gullspett |
| Polish | dzięcioł różowoszyi |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Pica-pau-mosqueado |
| Romanian | Ghionoaie aurie |
| Russian | Шилоклювый дятел |
| Serbian | Američka zlatokrila žuna |
| Slovak | vlikáč zlatý |
| Slovenian | Grahasta žolna |
| Spanish | Carpintero Escapulario |
| Spanish (Cuba) | Carpintero escapulario |
| Spanish (Honduras) | Carpintero de Ocotal |
| Spanish (Mexico) | Carpintero de Pechera Común |
| Spanish (Spain) | Carpintero escapulario |
| Swedish | guldspett |
| Turkish | Altın Ağaçkakan |
| Ukrainian | Декол золотистий |
Revision Notes
Karen L. Wiebe revised the account. Peter Pyle contributed to the Plumages, Molts, and Structure page. Peter F. D. Boesman contributed to the Sounds and Vocal Behaviors page. Arnau Bonan Barfull curated the media. JoAnn Hackos, Robin K. Murie, and Daphne R. Walmer copyedited the account. Eliza Wein revised the distribution map.
Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Definitions
- COLAPTES
- auratum / auratus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Scientific name definitions
Version: 2.0 — Published July 7, 2023
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Tables and Appendices
Table 1
Distinguishing characters of the subspecies of the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus).
| Subspecific Group | Yellow-shafted Flicker | Red-shafted Flicker | Cuban Flicker | Guatemalan Flicker |
| Malar color | Black | Red | Black | Red and black |
| Throat color | Tan | Gray | Tan | Gray; signs of brown or tan in some individuals |
| Ear-covert color | Tan | Gray | Tan | Gray; signs brown or tan in some individuals |
| Crown color | Gray | Brown | Gray | Rufous |
| Shaft color | Yellow | Salmon | Golden | Pink-orange |
| Nuchal patch | Present | Absent | Present | Absent partially developed in some individuals |
| Back-bar width (mm, mean) | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| Breast-crescent depth (mm, mean) | 16.3 | 18.0 | 22.4 | 24.5 |
Table 2
Linear measurements (mm) for subspecies groups of the Northern Flicker. Data1 are given as mean + SD (range, n).
| Red-shafted | Yellow-shafted | Cuban | Guatemalan | |
| Locale | Western Colorado | Nebraska | Cuba | Chiapas and Nicaragua |
| Bill Length | ||||
| Male | 26.5 + 1.8 (26.4–32.3, 9) | 26.0 + 0.92 (24.9–27.6, 15) | 27.5 + 1.2 (25.1–30.2, 34) | 29.9 + 1.4 (25.0–32.5, 53) |
| Female | 29.7 + 1.5 (27.0–31.8, 8) | 26.4 + 1.2 (24.9–28.6, 19) | 27.2 + 1.1 (25.7–30.4, 38) | |
| Wing Length | ||||
| Male | 163 + 2.2 (159–167, 9) | 151 + 3.6 (145–156, 17) | 144 + 2.6 (138–150, 33) | 151 + 5.6 (141–164, 51) |
| Female | 164 + 3.2 (161–169, 7) | 151 + 3.9 (143–161, 20) | 139 + 3.2 (132–145, 27) | |
| Tail Length | ||||
| Male | 110 + 1.7 (108–113, 7) | 103 + 4.7 (95–108, 16) | 107 + 3.0 (102–115, 25) | 112 + 3.6 (104–121, 43) |
| Female | 111 + 2.1 (106–117, 5) | 104 + 4.4 (95–112, 19) | 105 + 3.2 (98–112, 26) | |
| Tarsus Length | ||||
| Male | 29.2 + 0.9 (27.8–30.6, 9) | 28.3 + 0.6 (27.2–29.5, 17) | 26.0 + 1.2 (24–27.9, 34) | 27.7 + (24.5–30.1, 86) |
| Female | 28.5 + 0.9 (27.2–30.1, 8) | 27.8 + 0.9 (26.3–29.9, 20) | 25.7 + 1.0 (23–27.8, 38) | |
- 1Data compiled from Short (Short 1965b, Short 1967b).
Table 3
Body size measurements from a population of Northern Flickers at Riske Creek, British Columbia. Data collected from 1998–2014. The data are broken down according to sex and age (Second-year or After-second-year). The wing chord is flattened, the tail length is the central rectrices, bill from anterior edge of nostril to tip and the tarsus from the back of folded ankle joint (not the middle of the joint). The P-values are from t-tests comparing the mean values between the age classes (KLW).
| Second-year | After-second-year | ||||||
| Mean | SD | n | Mean | SD | n | P | |
| Males | |||||||
| Mass (g) | 158.8 | 8.79 | 607 | 161.9 | 8.94 | 771 | 0.001 |
| Wing (mm) | 168.1 | 3.42 | 602 | 169.5 | 3.72 | 638 | 0.001 |
| Tail (mm) | 111.1 | 4.61 | 593 | 113.2 | 4.52 | 617 | 0.001 |
| Bill (mm) | 30.2 | 1.45 | 600 | 30.5 | 1.42 | 623 | 0.001 |
| Tarsus (mm) | 31.2 | 1.03 | 602 | 31.1 | 0.98 | 627 | 0.30 |
| Females | |||||||
| Mass (g) | 152.4 | 8.71 | 668 | 154.7 | 9.36 | 678 | 0.001 |
| Wing (mm) | 166.9 | 3.58 | 661 | 168.1 | 3.69 | 594 | 0.001 |
| Tail (mm) | 109.9 | 4.56 | 644 | 112.4 | 4.41 | 581 | 0.001 |
| Bill (mm) | 29.2 | 1.41 | 659 | 29.5 | 1.41 | 583 | 0.002 |
| Tarsus (mm) | 30.8 | 1.12 | 659 | 30.7 | 1.10 | 583 | 0.29 |
Table 4
The relative contribution of diet items in the stomachs of Northern Flickers (based on Beal 1911). The tabulated values are percentages; Beal (1911) did not state whether the percentages are bio-mass, or food item counts.
| Diet Item | Yellow-shafted Flicker1 | Red-shafted Flicker2 |
| Animal | 60.9 | 67.7 |
| Ants | 49.8 | 53.8 |
| Coleoptera | 5.1 | 6.6 |
| Hemiptera | 0.9 | 1.8 |
| Orthoptera | 2.4 | 1.5 |
| Lepidoptera | 1.3 | 2.1 |
| Miscellaneous animals | 1.4 | 1.9 |
| Plant | 39.1 | 32.3 |
- Source: Beal (Beal 1911)
- 1Based on the stomach contents of 684 specimens collected in 35 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada, evenly distributed over months.
- 2Based on the stomach contents of 183 specimens collected in 10 states and British Columbia, 75% from California, represent all months but biased towards winter.