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Bird name:

Gilded Flicker

Colaptes chrysoidesOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Codes: Common Name: GIFL Scientific Name: COLCHR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 554081

Breeding Location:

Forest, Dense cactuses

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Fairly common

Egg Color:

White

Number of Eggs:

3 - 5

Incubation Days:

11 - 14

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Bark chips.

Migration:

Nonmigratory

General

Gilded Flicker: Large woodpecker with dark barred and spotted brown back, brown cap, pale gray face and throat, red moustache stripe, white rump, thick black crescent on upper breast, and black spotted, pale buff underparts. Yellow underwings are visible in flight. Female lacks red moustache stripe.

Range and Habitat

Gilded Flicker: Resident from southeastern California and central Arizona south into Mexico. Preferred habitats include saguaro deserts, cottonwood-lined streams, and towns.

Breeding and Nesting

Gilded Flicker: Three to five white eggs are laid in a tree or cactus cavity, utility pole, or birdhouse. Incubation ranges from 11 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Gilded Flicker: Eats insects, wild berries, and cactus fruits; forages on the ground.

Readily Eats

Suet, Sunflower Seed, Nuts, Sugar Water, Fruit

Vocalization

Gilded Flicker: Song is a bold, repetitive "wick-er." Call is a long, drawn-out, explosive "kleeee-yer."

Similar Species

Gilded Flicker: Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) has red nape and gray crown; male also has black moustache stripe. Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) has red underwings and gray nape; female also has pale brown moustache stripe.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Gilded Flicker

Gilded Flicker: Large woodpecker with dark barred and spotted brown back, brown cap, pale gray face and throat, red moustache stripe, white rump, thick black crescent on upper breast, and black spotted, pale buff underparts. It was named for the gold color of its underwings and tail.

● Song: "wick-er", "kleeee-yer"

● Foraging & Feeding: Gilded Flicker: Eats insects, wild berries, and cactus fruits; forages on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Gilded Flicker: Three to five white eggs are laid in a tree or cactus cavity, utility pole, or birdhouse. Incubation ranges from 11 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Gilded Flicker: Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) has red nape and gray crown; male also has black moustache stripe. Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) has red underwings and gray nape; female also has pale brown moustache stripe.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several rapid shallow wing beats with short glides with wings folded to sides.

Gilded Flicker Breeding Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Gilded Flicker: Resident from southeastern California and central Arizona south into Mexico. Preferred habitats include saguaro deserts, cottonwood-lined streams, and towns.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationFairly common

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight3.9 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Cap

The area on top of the head of the bird.

Face

The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.

Rump

The area between the uppertail coverts and the back of the bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Gilded Flicker

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Recommended Products:

General

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Readily Eats

Vocalization

Similar Species

Gilded Flicker

Flight Pattern