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Post by deb&tony on Mar 22, 2007 13:20:03 GMT -8
Hi-
Just saw a Northern Flicker which, in every respect, looks like a "Red-shafted Flicker" except for the red crescent on his nape. Is this common?
Thanks,
Deb
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Post by tuchp on Mar 22, 2007 14:40:30 GMT -8
I don't think it is common - but I think it is unusual. I also have had these red-shafted flickers with the marking you described, visit my back yard as well. Researching this a bit online, I discovered that this MAY be a recessive trait in red-shafted and that the hybrids usually occur much further north. I am not however any expert on the subject. - Pat
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Post by kastern on Mar 23, 2007 15:35:27 GMT -8
In my experience, every year from about mid March to mid April, Northern Flickers seem to migrate through our area and every year I have had these 'hybrids' show up at my feeders. I have quite a collection of weird and wonderful combinations of markings. One of the most spectacular had a black 'moustache', red slash at the nape of the neck and the Red Shafted coloring elsewhere. I've had them with yellow shafted coloring and red moustaches and everything in between. Once we even had a pure Yellow Shafted. I've notice an increase in Flickers at my feeders the last few days but so far mine have all been normal Red Shafted...I'll keep watching though!
Kathy
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Post by tuchp on Mar 24, 2007 13:09:45 GMT -8
It's so interesting and such fun to see these different birds as they travel through our yards! I understand the Provincial Museum of Alberta, dept. of ornithology, has been studying the variations of these Red-shafted & Yellow-shafted Northern Flickers. Banding young birds and taking feather samples for DNA. It will probably be a few generations before they come to any conclusions. In the meantime we can just enjoy seeing them as they visit! - Pat
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