Colaptes auratus
Open woods and lawns across the continent. Feeds on the ground more than other woodpeckers. Hopping or walking print on a lawn, larger than a robin.
What does a northern flicker look like?
Brown woodpecker, spotted below, black chest crescent, white rump when it flies.
What do northern flicker tracks look like?
A ground woodpecker. Prints on a lawn are larger than a robin and often near an anthill.
- Hopping or walking print on a lawn, larger than a robin
- Brown back with black bars
- Black crescent on the chest
- White rump in flight
- Yellow or red under the wings, depending on the form
What does northern flicker poop look like?
Whitewash below a nest hole in a dead tree or a house soffit. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Open woods and lawns across the continent. Feeds on the ground more than other woodpeckers. Typical places: yard, woods, field. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Downy woodpecker identification
- American robin identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
Why is a woodpecker on my lawn?
A northern flicker eats ants on the ground. The white rump and black chest crescent identify it.
How to tell a northern flicker from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Downy woodpecker. Woodpeckers do not leave a useful ground trail. Small black-and-white woodpecker.
- American robin. A small perching-bird print. Gray-brown back, orange breast, yellow bill.
Northern flicker field marks
- Hopping or walking print on a lawn, larger than a robin
- Brown back with black bars
- Black crescent on the chest
- White rump in flight
Where the sign shows up
Open woods and lawns across the continent. Feeds on the ground more than other woodpeckers. Typical places: yard, woods, field. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
A ground woodpecker. Prints on a lawn are larger than a robin and often near an anthill. Whitewash below a nest hole in a dead tree or a house soffit.
Common questions
Why is a woodpecker on my lawn?
A northern flicker eats ants on the ground. The white rump and black chest crescent identify it.