Like most woodpeckers, northern flickers fly in an undulating motion featuring a few quick flaps followed by glides with tucked wings.ДЄlthough northern flickers are currently listed as a low concern species, habitat loss, insecticides, and other urban hazards can threaten these woodpeckers. Some northern flickers remain in the United States and coastal regions of Canada year-round while others will migrate further, as far north as Alaska for breeding and into parts of Central America to overwinter. Northern flickers cover a large range across most of North America and can be found in suburbs, marches, forest edges of the prairie foothills, and all the way up to the treeline of the Rockies. These feathers are orange in the red-shaftedВ flickerВ subspecies of western North America and yellow in the yellow-shaftedВ flickerВ that dominate further east and north. In flight, bright feathers on the underside of the northernВ flickerВ can be seen. The nape of their neck is highlighted with a deep red crescent. These hardy birds are brown in colour with dark spots and a black collar. Nestlings will tend to cling to the wall of their nest between the second to third week after hatching. Northern flickers are quite happy in nest boxes and in reusing tree cavities created by other animals.

In the spring, northern flickers can be heard drumming on tin flues, siding, gutters, and other materials to attract mates.Д«oth males and females help to excavate dead or diseased trees for nests, which will be lined with little more than a thin layer of woodchips for a clutch of 5-8 eggs. These birds will also eat fruit and seeds, especially over winter when ants in particular become harder to find.

Despite being classified as a woodpecker, donвЂ™t be surprised if you startle a northernВ flickerВ up from the ground on your next hike! These striking auburn birds use their specialized beaks to dig up dirt and a 2-inch long tongue, which wraps around the flickerвЂ™s skull when retracted, to extract insects and larvae.

Northern flicker feather