Yellow-shafted or Intergrade Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus, "auratus" group), Catalina State Park, Pima Co., Pima County

This female Yellow-shafted or Intergrade Northern Flicker was seen by Darlene Smyth and Alison Beringer and photographed by Alison Beringer on 13 January 2009 in Catalina State Park. 

The critical field marks for females of the Yellow-shafted form of Northern Flicker are a red nuchal crescent (back of the head), tan face and yellow underwings and underside of the tail.  Intergrades between Yellow and Red-shafted Flickers occur in a large zone in the western great plains and have intermediate characters.  Pure Yellow-shafted Flickers are very rare west of this intergrade zone. 

The photo below clearly shows a red nuchal crescent which eliminates pure Red-shafted Northern Flicker or Gilded Flicker.  Interpretation of the color of the face and undertail is difficult and may vary from computer monitor to monitor.  If the face is mottled gray and tan and if the undertail is orange, this is an intergrade. 

Enlargement to show head detail:

13 January 2009, photo by Alison Beringer

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer

 

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