Northern Flicker
Northern FlickerNorthern FlickerNorthern FlickerNorthern Flicker

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
1,285 Verified records at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The northern flicker or common flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a medium-sized bird of the woodpecker family. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker species that migrate. Over 100 common names for the northern flicker are known, including yellowhammer (not to be confused with the Eurasian yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)), clape, gaffer woodpecker, harry-wicket, heigh-ho, wake-up, walk-up, wick-up, yarrup, and gawker bird. Many of these names derive from attempts to imitate some of its calls. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Flicker sighting in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, based on 1,285 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Acorn Woodpecker
LC Endemic

Acorn Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanerpes formicivorus

40–50% · Likely
Hairy Woodpecker
LC Endemic

Hairy Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leuconotopicus villosus

20–30% · Possible
Nuttall's Woodpecker
LC

Nuttall's Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryobates nuttallii

20–30% · Possible
White-headed Woodpecker
LC

White-headed Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leuconotopicus albolarvatus

20–30% · With luck
Red-breasted Sapsucker
LC

Red-breasted Sapsucker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sphyrapicus ruber

10–20% · With luck
Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryocopus pileatus

10–20% · With luck
Downy Woodpecker
LC

Downy Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryobates pubescens

<5% · Rare
Williamson's Sapsucker
LC

Williamson's Sapsucker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sphyrapicus thyroideus

<5% · Rare
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
LC

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryobates scalaris

Insufficient data
Red-naped Sapsucker
LC

Red-naped Sapsucker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sphyrapicus nuchalis

<5% · Rare
Black-backed Woodpecker
LC

Black-backed Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Picoides arcticus

<5% · Rare
Lewis's Woodpecker
LC

Lewis's Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanerpes lewis

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

60–70
Jan
50–60
Feb
50–60
Mar
20–30
Apr
30–40
May
30–40
Jun
40–50
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
60–70
Oct
50–60
Nov
70–80
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
60–70%
2 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
3 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
4 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
5 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
6 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
7 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
40–50%
8 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
9 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
10 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
11 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
12 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
13 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
14 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
15 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
16 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
17 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
18 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
19 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
20 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
21 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
22 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
23 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
24 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
25 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
26 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
27 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
28 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
29 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
30 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
31 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
32 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
33 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
34 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
10–20%
35 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
36 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
37 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
38 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
39 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
40 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
41 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Northern Flicker in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks?

About 43% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Flicker sighting in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, based on 1,285 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Northern Flicker in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks?

December has the highest sighting rate for Northern Flicker in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in our monthly data.

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