Birds of Arlington - Northern Flicker

Birds of Arlington

Northern Flicker

(Colaptes auratus)

Adult Female

Present: Year Round

Visual Identification

Where and When to see them

Visual Identification

Male and Female Northern Flickers look almost identical. The male has a thick black malar stripe, while the female does not. The Northern Flicker is a very intricately patterned woodpecker. They have spots on their buff breasts, light stripes across their beige back, leading to dark stripes on their wings. They have a large black "Bib" across their breast, a red nape, grey cap and rest of neck, with a copper colored face and throat. Their eyes are black, and their rump is white, which is a great note to identification when flying. The underside of their wings and tail are bright golden and in good lighting can be seen against the sky.

Voice

This is the classic Flicker call of the Northern Flicker. The Northern Flicker usually makes this call from the top, or near the top, of a dead tree. Sometimes Flickers repeat this call more frequently, and they often fly away without a flight call making you wonder why they call changed location.

This is the ch volley. Northern Flickers raise their crest while making this call and their chest heaves with every syllable. Notice how they also adapt a straighter posture while calling.

Habitat

Both the male and female Northern Flickers spend most of their time in open woodland, broken woods, forest clearings, and suburban neighborhoods. There is usually a larger density of flickers in areas with more anthills. They will occasionally wander out into unbroken woods.

Behavior

We believe that this is a territorial display. These two female Northern Flickers faced each other off in a silent head-bobbing display, the flew off to a tree trunk on which they chased each other around it.

We assume that these two Northern Flickers are showing each other affection. There is one female (on trunk) and one male (in cavity). They did not harm one another, and they did not feed each other, so that makes us think that it is a sign of affection. Listen carefully for the chattering noises they make.

When flying Northern flickers flap their wings outward in unison, then tuck them in, propelling themselves forward like a torpedo. They fly in a bobbing strait line parallel to the ground when going from tree to tree. When about to land they will position their bodys, using their wings, so that they are parallel to the tree trunk. When they climb a trunk they climb up like they are climbing short rungs, and investigate the tree for insects. They do not rotate all the way around the tree often.

They are solitary, in pairs, or loose groups.

Northern Flickers often use their strong bills to feed on ants. They will break open an ant mound and devour the ants, lapping them up with their tongue. While doing this they sometimes make a ch volley. After doing this they might perch on a tree branch or power line before going onto a tree.

Comparisons

Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Red-bellied Woodpecker has many differences from the Northern Flicker. The Red-bellied Woodpecker can have an entirely red nape, cap, and front. They have black and white striping on their back and wings. Red-bellied Woodpeckers also have a plain buff to white breast with faint red smudges. The silhouettes of the Red-bellied Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker are very similar, but, on the Red-bellied Woodpecker you can make out the red on the head (or the back of the head for females). When flying, Red-bellied Woodpeckers do not have golden underwings or tail.

Where and When to see them

Northern flickers are most commonly found in Arlington Forest Park and Bluemont Park. Several have nested in dead trees at Bluemont Park.

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