Red-bellied Woodpecker vs Northern Flicker
The check that settles it
Brown, spotted below, with a black bib and it feeds on the ground.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
- Size
- 22–27 cm
- Bill
- chisel
- Where
- feeder, woodland, yard
- Voice
- A rolling 'churr' and a harsh 'cha-cha-cha'. Drums in steady even bursts.
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
- Size
- 28–31 cm
- Bill
- chisel
- Where
- yard, woodland, open field
- Voice
- A long loud 'wick-wick-wick-wick' and a single sharp 'kleer'. Drums loudly, often on metal.
Confirming a red-bellied woodpecker
- A black-and-white ladder-barred back — the 'zebra' pattern.
- Red on the nape, extending forward over the crown on males.
- Plain pale grey face and chest.
- The red belly is a faint pinkish smudge and is rarely seen.
Confirming a northern flicker
- A bright white rump patch, obvious every time it flies.
- Black crescent bib across the chest and black spotting below.
- Feeds on lawns, digging for ants.
- Yellow wing linings in the east, red in the west.