Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Gilded Flicker
Scientific name:	Colaptes chrysoides
Date:	12/17/24
Time:	3:00pm
Length of time observed:	8mins
Number:	1
Age:	Mature
Sex:	Male
Location:	Red Butte Garden,Salt lake City, UT
County:	Salt Lake County
Latilong:	40.7661 N, 111.8248 W
Elevation:	4950 ft
Distance to bird:	15-20ft
Optical equipment:	Nikon D850 200-500mm
Weather:	Cloudy-sunny day
Light Conditions:	good visibility
Description: Size of bird:
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Perch like
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Spotted belly, brown nape,
(Description:) Bill Type:	Generalist
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Eating berries off a rock wall. Some kind of blueberry looking berry. Could be a low bush berry but I'm unsure. The bird was aware of me observing it. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	No call heard
Behavior:	Looking around between bites of berries. Looked over at me.
Habitat:
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Brown nape gave the difference for me, and how it's different from the red shafted northern Flicker. The Gilded Flicker and the Northern Flicker (red shafted) both have the red malar area, but the brown nape is the difference I captured. The northern Flicker (red shafted) doesn't have a brown nape, the crown is brown but the nape is grey.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Never
References consulted:	through ebird, members of the cornell lab of ornithology guided me to submit my photos.
Description from:	Notes made later From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Jacob Failla
Observer's address:	10 Shearwater St Durham, NH
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	No
Date prepared:	Dec 20th - Jan 4th
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	I go to the university of Utah. But I plugged in my home address back in NH. 2195 Red Butte Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84113, is my Utah address right next to the red butte garden.