The Northern Flicker State Birds (week 9)

A Flicker in our yard. We have a lot of ants, and Flickers love ants.

Wow, I have forgotten all about the State Bird posts. It has been a long time since I have written about any of them. So this week we are going to talk about the only state to have a woodpecker as a state bird. It has a rather unusual nickname; the Yellowhammer. We know the bird better by it's more common name; the Northern Flicker. A beautiful and colorful speckled woodpecker.


Alabama is the only state to have a member of the woodpecker family as a state bird. According to Civil War legend, a company of new soldiers from Huntsville was spotted with bits of brilliant yellow cloth on their sleeves, collars, and coattails. This resulted in some of the older soldiers comparing their appearance to that of the bright and cheerful yellowhammer bird. In time, all Alabama soldiers became known as "Yellowhammers." 


Unlike most woodpeckers, Flickers forage on the ground. They think grasshoppers, ants and crickets are a tasty treat, but they will visit your birdfeeder if suet is available. The Northern Flicker is a beautiful bird with easily identifiable markings. They are fairly common throughout the United States with the Red-shafted Flicker to the west and the Yellow-shafted Flicker to the east. 

A Flicker on the prowl

There are two different subspecies of the northern or common flicker: Colaptes auratus auratus (yellow-shafted) and Colaptes auratus cafer (red-shafted). Both subspecies are brown-and-black barred on the back and wings, and a buff-colored or whitish breast with black spots. A wide black “necklace” is also characteristic of both subspecies. Northern flicker’s have a conspicuous white rump that can be seen when the bird is in its deeply undulating flight.
The yellow-shafted flicker has a red patch on the nape of the neck. They have a gray crown. Under the tail and wings, a bright yellow can be seen giving the flicker the name yellow-shafted. The males have a black mustache or line at the base of the bill.
The red-shafted flicker has a brown crown and doesn’t possess the red patch on the nape of the neck. Red-shafted flickers are reddish under the tail and wings. Also, the males have a red mustache.
DISTRIBUTION: The yellow-shafted flicker is found from southern Alaska and Canada south to the Gulf States. They can be found throughout the eastern United States and Cuba. There are migrants in the northern parts of their range.
Red-shafted flickers are found from southeastern Alaska and southwestern Canada down through the western United States to Guatemala. Migrants, usually hybrids may occur in the western part of the eastern United States.
HABITAT: Flickers inhabit areas that are open, such as woodlands and groves that contain dead trees or poles for nest cavities. They will also make their homes in towns and parks.
FEEDING HABITS: Flickers spend a majority of their feeding time on the ground probing for ants. They also eat other insects, fruits, berries, and seeds. Flickers can often be seen at bird feeders where they eat suet, and seeds such as sunflower, or peanuts.
LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY: The male flicker chooses the site for a nesting cavity in a dead tree, stump, or pole. Flickers may even use nest boxes. Once the male has chosen the site, he begins to excavate the cavity with some help from the female. It usually takes from 15 to 28 days to complete the nesting cavity. The cavities are typically high above the ground. Breeding season begins in March and continues through early to mid – July. Eggs are laid daily with an average clutch size ranging from six to eight. However, clutches can range from 3 to 14 eggs. Eggs are solid white with a smooth surface and high gloss. Incubation responsibilities are shared by both sexes with the male sitting at night. The eggs are incubated for 11to 13 days. Flicker nestlings are fed regurgitated food from both parents, but are brooded by the male for the first three weeks. The young will begin climbing in the nest cavity at 17 to 18 days after hatching, and are fed at the entrance by three weeks of age. The young will leave the nest at 25 to 28 days of age.
(Courtesy of http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Birds/woodpeckers/nf.cfm )


Check out more info at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id