Woodpeckers, Doves & Other Land Birds
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
A large brown woodpecker that often feeds on the ground, especially on ants. In the East, flashes of yellow under its wings and tail are a giveaway in flight.
How to identify it
- Brown back with black bars
- Black crescent "bib" and black-spotted belly
- Bright white rump patch in flight
- Eastern birds: yellow under the wings and tail, red patch on the nape
- Male has a black mustache stripe
SizeBetween an American Robin and an American Crow
Song Sparrow6 in
American Robin10 in
Northern Flicker12 in
American Crow19 in
6 inAverage length, bill to tail
Details
- Size
- 11–12 in long; wingspan 16.5–20 in
- Weight
- 3.9–5.6 oz
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, forest edges, parks and yards
- When to see it
- Year-round across most of the US
- Diet
- Ants and beetles, berries, seeds
Range in the United States
Life history
Food
Eats mostly ants dug from the ground, plus beetles, fruit and seeds.
Nesting
A cavity dug into a dead or dying tree, or a nest box.
- Clutch
- 5–8 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–13 days
- Young
- Fledge at about 24–27 days
- Broods
- 1 per year
Behavior
Often seen on the ground hammering into anthills. Gives a loud "wick-a-wick-a" call.
Conservation
Common but has declined by about half since the 1960s.
Cool facts
- Its tongue reaches about 2 inches beyond its bill to lap up ants.
- Its old nest holes are used by many other birds, including Buffleheads.
- It is the state bird of Alabama.
Songs & calls
▶Bird sounds video coming soon
Watch the Northern Flicker
▶Video coming soon
