The
northern flicker or
common 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 (
Emberiza citrinella)),
clape,
gaffer woodpecker,
harry-wicket,
[2] 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. It is the state bird of Alabama (known by its colloquial name "yellowhammer.")
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