Vagrants of an extant mainland red-shafted subspecies have recently begun recolonizing Guadalupe Island as the habitat improved after the removal of feral goats. rufipileus) is extinct and was formerly restricted to Guadalupe Island, off the northwestern coast of Mexico. The Guadalupe red-shafted flicker ( C.mexicanus) resides in central and southern Mexico from Durango to San Luis Potosà and Oaxaca. nanus) resides in western Texas south to northeastern Mexico.
cafer, extending along much of the West Coast of North America from British Columbia to northwestern Mexico. collaris) has a range that closely overlaps that of C. The Society, in accordance with the rules governing scientific nomenclature, has as of September 2018 declined to support a change of the scientific name, but may consult with the ICZN on the matter. As the origin of the subspecies designation is regarded as offensive by some, proposals to alter the scientific name of this subspecies have been presented to the American Ornithological Society. The subspecific name cafer is the result of an error made in 1788 by the German systematist Johann Gmelin, who believed that its original habitat was in South Africa among the Xhosa people, then known as the " Kaffirs". It is red under the tail and underwings and have red shafts on their primaries. gundlachi) is restricted to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. The Grand Cayman yellow-shafted flicker ( C.The Cuban yellow-shafted flicker ( C a.a borealis) resides from central Alaska through most of Canada to southern Labrador, Newfoundland, and the northeastern United States. The northern yellow-shafted flicker ( C.As the state bird of Alabama, this subspecies is known by the common name "yellowhammer", a term that originated during the American Civil War to describe Confederate soldiers from Alabama. 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 underwings.
They have a grey cap, a beige face, and a red bar at the nape of the neck.
They are yellow under the tail and underwings and have yellow shafts on their primaries. auratus) resides in the southeastern United States.