Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratusOrder: PICIFORMES Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Codes: Common Name: NOFL Scientific Name: COLAUR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178154

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker: Medium woodpecker, black-barred brown back, white rump, black tail. Underparts are black-spotted pale brown with black crescent on breast. Face is gray with brown crown and forehead. Legs and feet are gray. There is a Red-shafted (shown here) and a Yellow-shafted race.

● Song: "flicker", "wicka-wicka-wicka", "kleeer"

● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Flicker: Diet consists primarily of ants; also eats other insects, berries, and fruits; forages in trees, shrubs, and on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Northern Flicker: Three to twelve white eggs are laid in a cavity in a tree, utility pole, or birdhouse; usually excavates nest cavities in dead or diseased tree trunks or large branches. Incubation ranges from 11 to 16 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Northern Flicker: Gilded Flicker has red moustache stripe, yellow underwings, and black-spotted underparts.

Flight Pattern

Several rapid wing beats and then a pause with wings folded atsides producing up-and-down flight pattern.

● Range & Habitat: Northern Flicker: Resident from Alaska east through Manitoba to Newfoundland and south throughout the U.S. Northernmost birds are migratory. Prefers forest edges and open woodlands approaching savannas.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^Population

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight2.5 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America