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Northern Flicker
(Yellow-shafted Flicker)
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Colaptes
Species: auratus
Gr. pikos woodpecker
La. picus woodpecker
Gr. Circe, mythological
daughter of Helios,
changed Picus, son
of Saturn, into a
woodpecker
La. forma form, shape, kind
Gr. kolaptes chiseller
Gr. kolapto chisel, pick away
La. auratus golden |
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A large woodpecker, about twelve inches
long. Gray head with red patch on the back of the head. Light brown undersides with black
or dark brown spots. Black wavy bars on brownish gray wings, yellow bordered wing feathers
and yellow under wings.
Lives in forests, groves, farms, and
towns from parts of Alaska, throughout most of Canada and the States east of the Rocky
Mountain's eastern slopes and below 55 degrees latitude south to Central America.
Chips out several cavities or nests in an abandoned or
natural cavity in decaying trees, cactuses, or fence posts from within
reach to twenty or higher. Absent its usual choices it will use what is
at hand.
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Flicker nests have been discovered in an old wagon hub on the treeless
prairie, in barrels, in the crevices of deserted barns and out houses.
Lays a varying number of white eggs which hatch after about two
weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another four weeks.
Odd for a woodpecker, the flicker is primarily a ground feeder. It eats
ants and other insects, grubs, worms, berries and sour gum fruit.
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Louis Agassiz Fuertes
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A noisy bird, it emits the familiar, quickly repeated, short
quit-quit-quit- quit-quit-quit and an incredibly loud, high pitched
Keee-yer! like an ungreased wheel. Another of its calls Audubon
described as, "a prolonged jovial laugh"
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The
Flicker Birdhouse Plans (same as for
Lewis Woodpecker, Saw-Whet Owl,
Pigmy Owl and Grackle) has a 7" by 7" floor, 16" inside ceiling,
2 1/2" diameter entrance hole located 14" above the floor and ventilation
openings. Hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks. Assembled with corrosion resistant
screws.Mount nest box on a tree trunk about eye level or just out of reach, higher
if desired.
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Flicker Nestbox Plans |
Installations out of reach should be installed and maintained by professionals: carpenters,
electricians, power line workers, etc.
Because they commonly excavate their own cavities, fill this box
with wood chips (no saw dust; chips!)
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