Also, because we note details of feather color and molt of the flight feathers after breeding, we were able to record that the same bird in later years might have either more or fewer reddish flight feathers among the normal yellow. Currently, the Gilded Flicker of the southwest is its own species ( Colaptes chrysoides), while the Yellow-shafted and Red-shafted Flickers are “groups” of the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auritus – also briefly named the Common Flicker).Īfter comparing data, the banding community identified a burning question: “Why do some eastern seaboard Yellow-shafted Flickers have orange, salmon pink or even red, major flight feathers in their wings and tails?” These birds could hardly be hybrids or intergrades because Yellow- and Red-shafted groups are only in contact during the breeding season in the Rocky Mountains, not here in Massachusetts. It helps us answer many questions about these species that we love, including “why does this bird suddenly have red feathers?”Īs a result of many classification efforts on distribution, genetics, hybridization and museum specimen comparisons, banders have had to recognize either one, two, or three flicker species in North America since the 1950s. Long-term banding data is critical to understanding the behaviors and lives of birds, as well as helping to prioritize conservation efforts. This close-up examination provides much more than the best view available through our binoculars in the field. Our banders routinely record data on wing chord (a standard measurement showing the proportions of a bird), mass, molt, visible subcutaneous fat, brood patches, parasites, and more details about the age and sex of the bird. As banders, we are privileged to get up close and very personal with wild birds for a brief period in the Banding Lab at Manomet, before releasing them to go about their busy lives.īesides the uniquely numbered US Fish & Wildlife band that contributes to our knowledge of local movements, migrations, longevity, and mortality factors, we rapidly note several observations in our database.
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