A Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus has been coming out of the woods almost every day, to get some of the suet from our feeders. We see this one is a male since he has a black mustache; female Flickers have a brown face. This is a "yellow-shafted" Flicker, meaning the undersides of his wing and tail feathers are yellow. In western North America, Flickers are typically "red-shafted".
At a distance, as they often feed on the ground for ants and beetles, a Flicker will appear brownish. But up close, you can appreciate the black spots, bars, and crescent shapes that create the Flicker's rich patterns.
