<P> The northern 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), 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 . </P> <P> The northern flicker is part of the genus Colaptes, which encompasses 12 New World woodpeckers . Nine subspecies and one extinct subspecies of C. auratus are recognized . The existing subspecies were at one time considered separate species, but they commonly interbreed where ranges overlap and are now considered one species by the American Ornithologists Union . This is an example of the "species problem". </P> <Ul> <Li> The yellow - shafted flicker (C. a . auratus) resides in eastern North America . They are yellow under the tail and underwings and have yellow shafts on their primaries . They have a grey cap, a beige face, and a red bar at the nape of the neck . Males have a black moustache . Colaptes comes from the Greek verb colapt, meaning "to peck"; auratus is from the Latin root aurat, meaning "gold" or "golden", and refers to the bird's underwing . </Li> </Ul> <Li> The yellow - shafted flicker (C. a . auratus) resides in eastern North America . They are yellow under the tail and underwings and have yellow shafts on their primaries . They have a grey cap, a beige face, and a red bar at the nape of the neck . Males have a black moustache . Colaptes comes from the Greek verb colapt, meaning "to peck"; auratus is from the Latin root aurat, meaning "gold" or "golden", and refers to the bird's underwing . </Li>

Bird with a red spot on the back of its head