Spirit bird

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

"A bold, barred traveler with grounded roots."

You passed on the small brown sparrows in favor of birds with commanding presence and striking patterns like the Barred Owl and Leucistic Robin. Your selfie, set against a drive through the trees, mirrors the Flicker's love for the edge of the forest where they uniquely forage on the ground. Like the Flicker, you have a vibrant, approachable energy that hides a very specialized, unconventional way of looking at the world.

A note on your bird: it wasn't picked from the 10 you swiped through — those were just the warm-up. It was chosen from our full flock of 100 iconic Canadian birds, matching the pattern of what moved you. That's why it may be one you never met on your journey.