# Gilded Flicker (*Colaptes chrysoides*) The Gilded Flicker is a colorful woodpecker with a golden hue. They love to peck on trees and make funny sounds. You can often see them in open woodlands and grasslands. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Gilded Flicker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gilded_Flicker_%28Colaptes_chrysoides%29_on_top_of_cactus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Glenn Seplak from Tucson, Arizona, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gilded_Flicker_%28Colaptes_chrysoides%29_on_top_of_cactus.jpg) ## Appearance The Gilded Flicker is a medium-sized woodpecker with a brownish-barred back and a pale, spotted belly marked by a distinct black crescent on its chest. Its most striking feature is the bright yellow-orange flash visible in its wings and tail during flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Piciformes - **Family:** Picidae - **Genus:** Colaptes ## Interesting facts - Gilded Flickers eat thousands of ants and termites using their super long sticky tongue! - Males attract mates by "drumming" on hollow trees or even metal objects! - They often build their cozy nests inside giant saguaro cacti, making unique desert homes! - Unlike most woodpeckers, Gilded Flickers love to find tasty food foraging right on the ground. ## Special abilities - **Desert Driller:** Gilded Flicker can excavate sturdy nest cavities in tough saguaro cacti using its strong beak. - **Ant Magnet Tongue:** Gilded Flicker has an incredibly long, barbed, sticky tongue that helps them extract ants from deep crevices. - **Vertical Grip:** Gilded Flicker has zygodactyl feet and stiff tail feathers that help them cling vertically to tree trunks. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 28-31 cm - **Wingspan:** 42-51 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-0.15 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-12 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days ## Diet & Feeding These birds mainly feast on insects, especially ants, found on the ground or in trees. - **Primary Foods:** Ants, Termites, Beetles, Caterpillars, Wild fruits, Berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** [Saguaro Cactus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saguaro-cactus) (*Carnegiea gigantea*) — Uses its excavated cavities for nesting and roosting. - **Eats:** Silky Ant (*Formica pallidefulva*) — Feeds primarily on this and other ant species found on the ground. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Eggs, young, and adults are sometimes prey for this raptor. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance, and don't try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Gilded Flicker? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Gilded Flicker? 28-31 cm ### What is Gilded Flicker's wingspan? 42-51 cm ### How much does Gilded Flicker weigh? 0.1-0.15 kg ### How long does Gilded Flicker live? 5-12 years ### How fast can Gilded Flicker move? 50 km/h ### What does Gilded Flicker eat? These birds mainly feast on insects, especially ants, found on the ground or in trees. ### Where is Gilded Flicker usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Desert Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-botanical-garden) — Arizona, US · Botanical Garden ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Gilded Flicker: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gilded-flicker)