Library #20 · A Backyard · Wave 2

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus · Picidae

A woodpecker that often feeds on the ground — ant specialist.

At a glance

Size: 11–12 in
Wingspan: 16.5–20 in
Habitat: Open woods, parks, lawns, edges
Diet: Ants and beetles on the ground; fruits

Range: Continent-wide

Nesting: Cavity excavated in a snag; important nest provider for other species later.

Coloring pose idea: On lawn anting / climbing trunk with spotted breast

Hear this bird

General call / song: Loud wick-a-wick-a-wick; keew single note; drumming.

Mating / display: Wick-a series and ritualized bill pointing / dancing near the nest tree.

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Play calls on All About Birds Species overview Audubon field guide

How to know it

Brown barred back, black bib, spotted breast, white rump in flight.
Yellow-shafted (east) or red-shafted (west) underwings.
Male has a malar mustache stripe.

Behavior

Probes lawns for ants with a long sticky tongue.
Loud wick-a-wick-a call and long drumming.
Migrates out of far-northern breeding areas.

Fun facts

White rump patch is obvious as they flush from lawns.
Hybrid zone where yellow- and red-shafted forms meet.
Eats more ants than almost any other North American bird.

Companion page for the Birds Coloring Calendar series by R. J. D. B. Fact summaries are original educational text or short paraphrases with source links. Call playback via link to All About Birds / Cornell Lab. Re-test QR codes on a phone before final print. Not affiliated with Cornell Lab or Audubon.