a Flash of Pink

by Nicky Weber-Cox
(West Central Indiana)

Bird seen outside window, feeding off the ground, long beak, darkish, brownish body, BRIGHT PINK splash on back of neck... and a long narrow school bus yellow stripe running from his side to end of wing... beautiful.. but too fast for camera.

west central Indiana....cornfield rural.

Thank you!

seen today 7/4/16 10 am

Comments for a Flash of Pink

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Jul 06, 2016

a flash of pink NEW
by: Brook

hello again, This must be a yellow-shafted northern flicker, they are in the woodpecker family. The narrow, "school bus yellow" stripe runs along the edge of it's wing and is not always visible. The, "splash of pink" is actually red.

here is a link to more info on yellow-shafted flickers, u can also search for "pictures of yellow-shafted northern flickers" on the web:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id

HERE IS AN EXCELLENT PIC OF YOUR BIRD:
http://www.arkive.org/northern-flicker/colaptes-auratus/

Their natural diet consists of ants but they will eat other insects and love suet feeders.

Jul 06, 2016

a flash of pink NEW
by: Brook

hi, I can't picture your description of the stripe. Where does it start and is it on the wing it's self?

Jul 06, 2016

a flash of pink NEW
by: Brook

Hopefully someone can ID your bird right off but if not.. could rephrase your comment about the stripe running from it's side to the end of it's wing? Where is the stripe, on the wing or on the body?

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