Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Northern Flickers love ants. They feed on the ground, frequenting lawns and leaf litter. Northern Flickers do not have the super-hammering apparatus of most woodpeckers. This means they can't drill into hard wood and need rotten or soft trees for nest-holes; and they feed primarily on the ground (or downed, rotten logs). The Northern Flicker’s range extends throughout North America. During the breeding season, these flickers can be found as far north as the tree line in Canada and as far south as Central America. Northern Flickers tend to be near the edge of the forest or in more open areas—along streams, for example. The northernmost flickers migrate to the southern United States, wintering across the Southwest and as far east as Florida. The Northern Flicker’s range extends throughout North America. During the breeding season, these flickers can be found as far north as the tree line in Canada and as far south as Central America. Northern Flickers tend to be near the edge of the forest or in more open areas—along streams, for example. The northernmost flickers migrate to the southern United States, wintering across the Southwest and as far east as Florida. These birds are 12 inches in length, this medium-sized woodpecker has a long, narrow black bill with a slightly curved culmen. Northern Flickers do, however, vary geographically. All races of Northern Flickers are brown with black barring on their upperparts and wings. They have a prominent white rump and a dark blackish-brown tail. The center of their chest sports a black crescent, and they have a whitish breast and belly with black markings. |
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| GEORGE W. BOWLES, SR. 2004 10/25/04 |
