please help ID this woodpecker

this guy has been visiting my feeders for a couple of months- showed up after a near miss from a hurricane. he's a bit smaller than our red bellies and only has a hint of red on his head. I live in FT Lauderdale, FL. so far my best guess is a Gila woodpecker- I know the Gila is not native down here

Immature Northern Flicker?

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19123612
Immature Northern Flicker?

I'd agree except it would be good to see its belly. For the Northern Flicker see https://www.allaboutbi​rds.org/guide/Northern​_Flicker/id.

There is both a Gila Woodpecker and a Gila Flicker that are often identified incorrectly. See https://www.allaboutbi​rds.org …barring%20on%20​the%20back.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19123612
Immature Northern Flicker?

John from PA wrote in post #19123616
I'd agree except it would be good to see its belly. For the Northern Flicker see https://www.allaboutbi​rds.org/guide/Northern​_Flicker/id.

There is both a Gila Woodpecker and a Gila Flicker that are often identified incorrectly. See https://www.allaboutbi​rds.org …barring%20on%20​the%20back.

thank you for your thoughts. our nesting season has long passed- it looks very much like a very young red bellied except for the lack of color on it's head. Sadly I didn't get a belly shot of this guy- I will endeavor to do so.

my guess is an immature red-bellied woodpecker as well, as they do not gain the red head until later...
beautiful shots in any case
cheers!

jimmy_racoon wrote in post #19123668
my guess is an immature red-bellied woodpecker as well, as they do not gain the red head until later...
beautiful shots in any case
cheers!

you could be right and that is a more logical ID but I don't think it's a red bellied. we have some first year visiting also and they have lots of head color now. it would be interesting for sure if it was an anomaly........ I will try to get some more photos

There is a lot of streaking on the head, so it's an immature something and probably late changing plumage regardless of species. Gila females don't have any red, but the head and nape are a warm brown color. No records of Gila in Florida on eBird. A couple for Golden-fronted. I think the stripes on the back would be more brown than black on a flicker.

kd_reno wrote in post #19123740
There is a lot of streaking on the head, so it's an immature something and probably late changing plumage regardless of species. Gila females don't have any red, but the head and nape are a warm brown color. No records of Gila in Florida on eBird. A couple for Golden-fronted. I think the stripes on the back would be more brown than black on a flicker.

thanks- I'll keep watching him.

As best I can dig up, it looks solid for immature Red-bellied; even if is a late bloomer. There's just the hint of red coming in on the back of the head there. Have you been able to get a look at the breast yet to see whether it's solid or patterned?

Snydremark wrote in post #19123893
As best I can dig up, it looks solid for immature Red-bellied; even if is a late bloomer. There's just the hint of red coming in on the back of the head there. Have you been able to get a look at the breast yet to see whether it's solid or patterned?

I have not really seen it's underside. was exited to think it something special but I'm sure you all are on track with the ID

a couple more shots

It’s an immature Red-bellied Woodpecker. A key to identification is the tail. The white central rectrices are barred and the outer rectrices are black. A Golden-fronted Woodpecker would have a completely black tail. A Gila Woodpecker would have barred central rectrices and also white barring on the black outer rectrices. Golden-fronted and Gilda aren’t likely for Florida as they are western species.

txcanon wrote in post #19124212
It’s an immature Red-bellied Woodpecker. A key to identification is the tail. The white central rectrices are barred and the outer rectrices are black. A Golden-fronted Woodpecker would have a completely black tail. A Gila Woodpecker would have barred central rectrices and also white barring on the black outer rectrices. Golden-fronted and Gilda aren’t likely for Florida as they are western species.

thank you - I'm sure you are correct