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
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Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Scientific name definitions
Version: 2.0 — Published July 7, 2023
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Identification
Field Identification
A large woodpecker (length 28–31 cm, mass 130 g). Generally grayish brown above with irregular transverse dark-brown bars (making the species cryptic on the ground), off-white below with numerous black spots (2–5 mm) and a black crescent on the upper breast. The ventral surface of the wing and tail and the shafts of flight feathers are bright salmon red or yellow, depending on the subspecies. A white rump-patch is conspicuous in flight. The flicker is sexually dichromatic: the malar stripe (red or black) is usually present only in the male. Juvenile closely resembles adult at fledging. Plumage and size vary across subspecies; see Subspecies.
Similar Species
The Northern Flicker is very similar in appearance to the Gilded Flicker (Colaptes chrysoides). Relative to geographically close forms of the Northern Flicker (i.e., "Red-shafted" Flicker), the Gilded Flicker has remiges and rectrices yellow. The Gilded Flicker also differs in its smaller size, rustier crown, narrower dorsal barring, paler dorsum, rounder breast patch, and wider black tip to the underside of the tail (see 7).