# Help me identify this bird (Atlanta GA, USA)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 3, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785 "2005-01-03T03:03:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785/1 "2005-01-03T03:03:23Z")
This afternoon, the cats let us know that there was something happening in the back yard that was REALLY interesting to cats. It was a bird.
It was a beautiful specimen. I thought it might be a woodpecker because of the brilliant red chevron on the back of the head, Mrs. Stockton is not so sure it’s a woodpecker. It is definitely NOT a cockaded, pileated, red-belly, or red-breasted. That mostly rules out any pecker we would see here in GA.
Description: Slim build. Small round black head with a LARGE brilliant bright red arrow pointing downwards on the back of the head. White face with little black muttonchop teardrops on the cheeks.
Gray/brown spotted belly (black spots). Very dark wings/back with lateral black stripes. It was digging for grubs or ants or worms in the yard. Curved-needle shaped beak, very long and slim. About 1.5" beak, curved downward and very skinny.
We can’t find either of our Audubon books tonight. What bird is this? The red arrow should be a good clue.
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### Author:  [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785/2 "2005-01-03T03:45:53Z")
[Downy woodpecker?](http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/htm96/cbc622/ra3940.html)
I can’t find anything other than a woodpecker that comes close to your description, but nothing that matches it exactly.
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### Author:  [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785/3 "2005-01-03T04:06:15Z")
Possibly a Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus. I’ve seen them with darker heads and lighter faces as in your description.
[http://www.birdnature.com/flicker.html](http://www.birdnature.com/flicker.html) (Good pic of the red V.)
[http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:eIg\_BW0JFnQJ:www.holoweb.com/cannon/northOOern.htm+flicker+woodpecker&hl=en](http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:eIg_BW0JFnQJ:www.holoweb.com/cannon/northOOern.htm+flicker+woodpecker&hl=en)
[http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/bns0235.htm](http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/bns0235.htm)
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### Author:  [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785/4 "2005-01-03T04:12:05Z")
I was sure thinking flicker from the description … and eating small insects on the ground is very flicker-like behavior.
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### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785/5 "2005-01-03T04:29:53Z")
Sounds flicker-ish to me, especially the part about it being on the ground. I have downy and hoary woodpeckers in great quantities in my yard (yesterday I looked out the window and counted 5 woodpeckers) and I’ve never seen 'em on the ground.
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### Author:  [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird-atlanta-ga-usa/282785/6 "2005-01-04T01:57:21Z")
> [@peri](#):
>
> Possibly a Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus. I’ve seen them with darker heads and lighter faces as in your description.
>
> [Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)](http://www.birdnature.com/flicker.html) (Good pic of the red V.)
Bingo! Thanks, all. That’s the one. We’ve never seen one here before, and we see a lot of woodpeckers and transient birdies.