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Photography

George McGovern

(9,282 posts) Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:04 PM 8 hrs ago

10

Okay, can't stand it any longer. Does Anyone Know What This Bird Is?

It visited the backyard yesterday, plucked away at the grass then took off.

23 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Okay, can't stand it any longer. Does Anyone Know What This Bird Is? (Original Post) George McGovern 8 hrs ago OP

Looks like a flicker in the top pic Dr. Shepper 8 hrs ago #1

Thanks Dr. Shepper! George McGovern 8 hrs ago #7

are those two different birds? Skittles 8 hrs ago #2

Nope, same bird Skittles. I was surprised at the color of its feathers. Thanks! George McGovern 8 hrs ago #8

Northern Flicker? ZDU 8 hrs ago #3

That's the consensus ZDU. Thank You! George McGovern 8 hrs ago #11

Happy to assist! You are most welcome! ZDU 7 hrs ago #18

Have seen a family of them this week Mme. Defarge 7 hrs ago #19

Not sure, but it is beautiful! SheltieLover 8 hrs ago #4

Ty SL! George McGovern 8 hrs ago #12

Some type of Woodpecker wendyb-NC 8 hrs ago #5

Thanks wendy-NC. You guessed Northern Flicker. You're right! George McGovern 8 hrs ago #13

Yes! Mme. Defarge 7 hrs ago #20

Nice shots. Pretty sure it's a northern flicker. Walleye 8 hrs ago #6

Thank You Walleye. Yes, that's the concurrence. George McGovern 7 hrs ago #14

yep. northern flicker. johnnyfins 8 hrs ago #9

Thanks johnnyfins. You know your birds! George McGovern 7 hrs ago #15

Google says it's a Flicker, likely a Northern Flicker. LoisB 8 hrs ago #10

Thank You Lois! We're all in agreement. Whew. Nice to know now. George McGovern 7 hrs ago #16

It appears that I was late to the party - I had to look it up because obviously I had no clue. LoisB 7 hrs ago #17

You and me both Lois! Y'know what "they" say, better late than never! ThankYou! George McGovern 6 hrs ago #22

Bonus material about flickers LearnedHand 7 hrs ago #21

Thanks LearnedHand! Guess the flicker found our ground to its liking. George McGovern 6 hrs ago #23

Dr. Shepper

(3,185 posts)

1. Looks like a flicker in the top pic

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:05 PM

8 hrs ago

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

7. Thanks Dr. Shepper!

Reply to Dr. Shepper (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:21 PM

8 hrs ago

Skittles

(167,244 posts)

2. are those two different birds?

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:09 PM

8 hrs ago

I thought maybe sparrow hawk but the head color changes.....

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

8. Nope, same bird Skittles. I was surprised at the color of its feathers. Thanks!

Reply to Skittles (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:22 PM

8 hrs ago

Last edited Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:59 PM - Edit history (1)

ZDU

(759 posts)

3. Northern Flicker?

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:09 PM

8 hrs ago

https://ngazette.com/flickers-in-our-midst/

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

11. That's the consensus ZDU. Thank You!

Reply to ZDU (Reply #3)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:54 PM

8 hrs ago

ZDU

(759 posts)

18. Happy to assist! You are most welcome!

Reply to George McGovern (Reply #11)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:29 PM

7 hrs ago

Mme. Defarge

(8,759 posts)

19. Have seen a family of them this week

Reply to ZDU (Reply #3)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:30 PM

7 hrs ago

in my backyard! Gorgeous birds and utterly thrilling.

SheltieLover

(73,546 posts)

4. Not sure, but it is beautiful!

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:14 PM

8 hrs ago

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

12. Ty SL!

Reply to SheltieLover (Reply #4)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:54 PM

8 hrs ago

wendyb-NC

(4,468 posts)

5. Some type of Woodpecker

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:19 PM

8 hrs ago

The back looks like the back of a Red Bellied Woodpecker, but I live in the south east, North Carolina. A Flicker is also a possibility, perhaps a Gilded Flicker, or a Northern Flicker. Beautiful, interesting looking bird.

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

13. Thanks wendy-NC. You guessed Northern Flicker. You're right!

Reply to wendyb-NC (Reply #5)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:56 PM

8 hrs ago

Mme. Defarge

(8,759 posts)

20. Yes!

Reply to wendyb-NC (Reply #5)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:30 PM

7 hrs ago

Walleye

(42,302 posts)

6. Nice shots. Pretty sure it's a northern flicker.

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:20 PM

8 hrs ago

The yellow shafted feathers indicated from the eastern part of the country, I think. Out West, the feathers have red shafts. I have seen them on the ground working on tree roots and flicking out the ants so they could eat them

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

14. Thank You Walleye. Yes, that's the concurrence.

Reply to Walleye (Reply #6)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:00 PM

7 hrs ago

johnnyfins

(2,832 posts)

9. yep. northern flicker.

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:26 PM

8 hrs ago

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

15. Thanks johnnyfins. You know your birds!

Reply to johnnyfins (Reply #9)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:01 PM

7 hrs ago

LoisB

(11,591 posts)

10. Google says it's a Flicker, likely a Northern Flicker.

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:35 PM

8 hrs ago

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

16. Thank You Lois! We're all in agreement. Whew. Nice to know now.

Reply to LoisB (Reply #10)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:02 PM

7 hrs ago

LoisB

(11,591 posts)

17. It appears that I was late to the party - I had to look it up because obviously I had no clue.

Reply to George McGovern (Reply #16)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:26 PM

7 hrs ago

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

22. You and me both Lois! Y'know what "they" say, better late than never! ThankYou!

Reply to LoisB (Reply #17)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 11:21 PM

6 hrs ago

LearnedHand

(4,989 posts)

21. Bonus material about flickers

Reply to George McGovern (Original post)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:34 PM

7 hrs ago

They are the only members of the woodpecker family who feed on the ground. Nice find! I love flickers.

George McGovern

(9,282 posts)

23. Thanks LearnedHand! Guess the flicker found our ground to its liking.

Reply to LearnedHand (Reply #21)

Fri Sep 12, 2025, 11:23 PM

6 hrs ago

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