Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus auratus), Biltmore Golf Course, Maricopa County

This Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker was discovered and photographed by Pierre Deviche on 19 December 2011.

Most of the Northern Flickers seen in Arizona that have yellower shafts are intergrades between the Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted forms. On this bird, however, the head pattern looks like a pure Yellow-shafted. This form is very rare in Arizona.

Note the gray crown, black malar, brown face, red nape patch and yellow shafts to the flight and tail feathers that distinguish this form from the more common Red-Shafted form of Northern Flicker. Intergrades usually have an intermediate face patterns with gray in the cheek and brown in the crown.

19 December 2011, photo by Pierre Deviche

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