Northern Flicker Woodpecker
by Nava Thompson
Title
Northern Flicker Woodpecker
Artist
Nava Thompson
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
A photo taken by Nava Jo Thompson of a Flicker Woodpecker sitting among Bradford Pear blooms in the spring. Adults are brown with black bars on the back and wings. A mid-to-large-sized woodpecker, it measures 2836 cm (1114 in) in length and 4254 cm (1721 in) in wingspan.[3][4] The body mass can vary from 86 to 167 g (3.0 to 5.9 oz).[5] Among standard scientific measurements, the wing bone measures 12.217.1 cm (4.86.7 in), the tail measures 7.511.5 cm (3.04.5 in), the bill measures 2.24.3 cm (0.871.7 in) and the tarsus measures 2.23.1 cm (0.871.2 in). The largest-bodied specimens are from the northern stretches of the species range, such as Alaska or Newfoundland and Labrador, whereas the smallest specimens come from Grand Cayman Island.[6] A necklace-like black patch occupies the upper breast, while the lower breast and belly are beige with black spots. Males can be identified by a black or red moustachial stripe at the base of the beak. The tail is dark on top, transitioning to a white rump which is conspicuous in flight........... This bird's call is a sustained laugh, ki ki ki ki ..., more congenial than that of the Pileated Woodpecker. One may also hear a constant knocking as they often drum on trees or even metal objects to declare territory. Like most woodpeckers, Northern Flickers drum on objects as a form of communication and territory defense. In such cases, the object is to make as loud a noise as possible, and thats why woodpeckers sometimes drum on metal objects. One Northern Flicker in Wyoming could be heard drumming on an abandoned tractor from a half-mile away...... Northern Flicker.......-----------------------------Like many woodpeckers, its flight is undulating. The repeated cycle of a quick succession of flaps followed by a pause creates an effect comparable to a rollercoaster.......According to the Audubon guide, "flickers are the only woodpeckers that frequently feed on the ground", probing with their beak, also sometimes catching insects in flight. Although they eat fruits, berries, seeds and nuts, their primary food is insects. Ants alone can make up 45% of their diet. Other invertebrates eaten include flies, butterflies, moths, beetles, and snails. Flickers also eat berries and seeds, especially in winter, including poison oak and ivy, dogwood, sumac, wild cherry and grape, bayberries, hackberries, and elderberries, and sunflower and thistle seeds. Flickers often go after ants underground (where the nutritious larvae live), hammering at the soil the way other woodpeckers drill into wood. They have been observed breaking into cow patties to eat insects living within. Their tongues can dart out 2 inches beyond the end of the bill to snare prey. As well as eating ants, flickers have a behavior called anting, during which they use the acid from the ants to assist in preening, as it is useful in keeping them free of parasites......Flickers may be obseved in open habitats near trees, including woodlands, edges, yards, and parks. In the western United States, one can find them in mountain forests all the way up to treeline. Northern Flickers generally nest in holes in trees like other woodpeckers. Occasionally, they have been found nesting in old, earthen burrows vacated by Belted Kingfishers or Bank Swallows. Both sexes help with nest excavation. The entrance hole is about 3 inches in diameter, and the cavity is 13-16 inches deep. The cavity widens at bottom to make room for eggs and the incubating adult. Inside, the cavity is bare except for a bed of wood chips for the eggs and chicks to rest on. Once nestlings are about 17 days old, they begin clinging to the cavity wall rather than lying on the floor.
Uploaded
March 6th, 2013
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Viewed 146 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/25/2024 at 6:40 PM
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Comments (6)
Kym Backland
I just love Flicker's! All that design and patterns and colors on one bird! Your work is so wonderful! Thank you for all your visits and comments on my site! FV.. Have a great upcoming week! FV
Nava Thompson replied:
Kym---I think a lot about the red heart on the back of his head---interesting that is what we use for Valentines! ---then he has the crest, poka dots---yellow underneath--stripes---amazing! He is a fave of mine too. Not seeing him much lately. Thank you for your visit and f/v!
Lingfai Leung
Wow, so beautiful. voted/fave
Nava Thompson replied:
Thank you Lingfai---hope to get a lot more opportunities for the Flicker--he has been hiding lately! Thanks for the f/v!
Heidi Smith
Beautiful! Featured in Photography - Getting The Light Just Right.
Nava Thompson replied:
Heidi---thank you for the comments and the feature in 'Getting The Light Just Right'!