Northern Flicker - (Colaptes auratus)

Northern Flicker photo copyright by James E. Kuhn There are three color forms of Northern Flicker, two of which can be found in the Imperial Valley.
  • the "Guilded" variant has yellow wing linings and prefers desert areas (near the Arizona border) where the Saguaro cactus serves as a tree-cavity nesting site.
  • the more commonly seen "Red-shafted" variant has reddish-pink wing linings and is found here in both urban and rural areas.
  • the "Yellow-shafted" variant is found east of the Rocky Mountains where it is also known as the 'Yellowhammer.'
Flickers can be seen feeding at ant hills on the ground, at the base of trees, or on the sides of trees and telephone poles (like other woodpeckers).

If you are interested in learning more about this bird online - I recommend you start with the Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/infocenter.html

They present photographs, songs, identification tips, maps, and life history information for North American birds - including the Northern Flicker

OTHER OUTSIDE LINKS FOR THIS BIRD:

Northern Flicker Profile - Profile and photos displayed by the "Nutty Birdwatcher" Web site.

Alabama State Bird - This profile presented by the South Alabama Birding Association also includes a story and illustration by John James Audubon, the "Father of American Ornithology".

Building a Flicker Nest Box - This USGS Web site from the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center has plans and tips for building nest structures, feeders, and photo blinds for various birds and wildlife.

The following "WAV" format sound file is provided by Doug and Douglas Van Gausig of Sedona, Arizona, as part of their "Sounds of Nature" Web site:

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This site is maintained by:

Eldon R. Caldwell
Imperial Valley College
Email: eldonc@imperial.cc.ca.us