Chestnut-fronted Macaw vs Common Flicker

Ara severus compared with Colaptes auratus

Key Differences

• Chestnut-fronted Macaw is Least Concern while Common Flicker is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chestnut-fronted Macaw	Common Flicker
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Piciformes (Piciformes)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Picidae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Colaptes
Species	Ara severus	Colaptes auratus

Evolutionary Relationship

Chestnut-fronted Macaw and Common Flicker share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Common Flicker

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chestnut-fronted Macaw	Common Flicker
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (Belgium, Norway), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Common Flicker

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States).

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

A medium-sized macaw of Central and South American tropical forests from southern Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil, chestnut-fronted macaws have predominantly green plumage with a chestnut forehead, red shoulder patches, and blue flight feathers. The smallest of the true macaws, they inhabit forest edges, savannas, and secondary woodland and often raid crops, making them locally unpopular with farmers. They are popular aviary birds, but wild populations face pressure from trapping and deforestation.

Common Flicker

<em>Colaptes auratus</em> is a large woodpecker in the family Picidae, order Piciformes, commonly known as the northern flicker. Unlike most woodpeckers, this species frequently forages on the ground, using its long tongue to extract ants and beetle larvae from the soil. <em>Colaptes auratus</em> is documented in Europe and the United States, where it inhabits open woodlands, forest edges, suburban areas, and parks with mature trees suitable for nesting. The species is notably adaptable in its habitat use and is one of the most widespread woodpeckers in North America. It is easily recognized by its brownish-barred plumage, spotted underparts, and a bold white rump patch visible in flight. Two main subspecies groups are recognized — the yellow-shafted form in the east and the red-shafted form in the west — which interbreed extensively where their ranges meet. Flickers are cavity nesters, excavating holes in dead or dying trees. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States