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Of all our woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker (12" long) is the most conspicuous and the most likely to be seen.
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It feeds on ants and beetle larvae.
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Its loud call and drumming advertise its presence during the spring and summer breeding season.
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The flicker nest is a cavity in a large tree, excavated mostly my the male.
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The yellow-shafted in the east and the red-shafted in the west.
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Courtship displays include lively head-bobing and weaving. Flickers also drum their bills on resonant wood.
Identification:
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Adults have brown-barred backs, white rumps, and spotted underparts with a black crescent-shaped bib.
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Yellow-shafted males (photo) have a black mustache.
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Red-shafted males have a red mustache.
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Females lack mustache.
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Underwings of yellow-shafted flickers are yellow.
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Underwings of red-shafted flickers are red.
Habitat:
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Open woodlands.
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Suburban areas.
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Often feeds on lawns.
Voice:
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The flicker's most obvious call is a loud, rapid sequence of notes, ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki, used for territory advertisement, mate attraction.
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Another common call is an abrupt, down-slurred peeough used as a contact call between mates or family group.
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A repeated flica-flica-flica-flica occurs during accouters, both aggressive and courtship, and is followed by pointing the bill upward.
RANGE:
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Year-round resident throughout the continental United States.
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Summer range extends into northern Canada and Alaska.
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Northern populations migrate.
