Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) wings, Picidae
No Data Available
Specimens courtesy of the Slater Museum
Photo by Robert Niese
Northern Flickers occur in two color morphs across the US. In the west, they are predominantly “red-shafted,” while in the east they are predominantly “yellow-shafted.” Here in western Montana, we have mostly red-shafted, but there are a few areas that are chock-full of “orange-shafted” hybrids (the wing in the upper right is a hybrid). There are extensive hybrid zones throughout BC and AB as well.