The next time you notice a mixed flock of various bird species congregating in your backyard, scan the hungry crowd for a stocky, gray-crested bird with a white belly, peach coloring on its flanks ...

While it’s clear that these gorgeous crested birds do resemble northern cardinals, with their dark gray and white feathers and solid red heads they also somewhat resemble red-headed woodpeckers!

Superficially identical to the brown-crested, which averages darker gray and brighter yellow below, is larger in all aspects, lacks typical ash-throated tail pattern, and has different voice.

The great crested has a darker gray face and breast; olive wash on sides of breast; broad white edge to innermost secondary; all-rufous inner webs of tail feathers; orange-yellow mouth lining ...