Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: killdozer on July 25, 2007, 10:21:39 PM

Title: RFI - Northern Flicker with a red crown?
Post by: killdozer on July 25, 2007, 10:21:39 PM

I posted photos in the Photo Corner (http://outdoorontario.net/birds/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1097&sid=6b75f9c47ce123f2db747f9218907e6f) section.

I've never seen a Flicker with an entirely red crown before... is this unusual? I can't find any mention of it online anywhere.  :?

Thanks in advance!

stuart

Title: Re:Red-crowned Northern Flicker
Post by: Lloyd on July 26, 2007, 06:56:12 PM

Hi KD. I spent some time on the Cornell Birds of North America website and discovered that immature Flickers have more red on the back of the head. Your photos suggest that the bird could very well be a young one and will probably lose a lot of the color in that area. Nonetheless, the little guy got more than his share.

Title:
Post by: killdozer on July 27, 2007, 09:48:17 AM

Thank you for the effort and the answer, Lloyd. I only recently found out young male Downies have the same feature. I thought I had more than my share of strange woodpeckers here!

stuart