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Monday, April 9, 2018

Intergrade Northern Flicker Eating at Suet Log Feeder 2018



I spotted this unusual female northern flicker on Mar 3 2018 in my Topeka KS yard at my suet log feeder eating homemade suet. I believe this is a female intergrade northern flicker. It’s a female because it has no malar (mustache) stripe. An intergrade northern flicker is a mix of yellow-shafted and red-shafted subspecies of flicker. Yellow-shafted flickers are the eastern subspecies while Red-shafted are the subspecies of the west. Red shafted flickers have a gray face, brown crown and no red crescent on the nape as well as reddish feathers on the underside of the wings and tail. Male red-shafted flickers also have a red malar stripe (mustache). Yellow shafted flickers have a brown face, gray crown and a bold red crescent on the nape as well as yellow feathers on the undreside of the wings and tail. Male yellow-shafted flickers also have a black malar stripe (mustache). This bird has a grayish brown head but has a small red crescent on the nape. I believe it an intergrade having traits of both subspecies . If you agree or disagree feel free to leave a comment below the video.

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