The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a large woodpecker found across North America. Its habits often surprise observers because it spends a significant amount of time foraging on the ground, unlike typical tree-climbing woodpeckers. This unusual technique, combined with its striking plumage, makes it a highly recognizable bird throughout its vast range.
Distinctive Appearance and Calls
Flickers measure between 11 and 14 inches in length with a wingspan that can reach up to 21 inches. Their body plumage is brown with black barring on the back and wings, a prominent black crescent across the upper chest, and a heavily spotted underside. A bright white patch on the rump is especially noticeable as the bird takes flight.
The color of the feather shafts in the wings and tail differentiates the two major North American populations. The eastern Yellow-shafted form displays a bright lemon-yellow color beneath the wings and tail, and the male has a black malar stripe. Conversely, the western Red-shafted form flashes a salmon-pink or rosy-red color, and the male is marked with a red malar stripe.
Flickers are highly vocal. The most common call is a loud series of notes described as a “wick-wick-wick” or “flick-flick-flick” that can carry over great distances. Like other woodpeckers, they also engage in drumming, which is used to declare territory during the breeding season.
Unique Foraging and Diet
Unlike most woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker is a predominantly ground-foraging bird. It is frequently observed walking or hopping across lawns, fields, and open parkland as it searches for food. This terrestrial behavior reflects its specialized diet, which centers heavily on ants and beetles, often making ants up to 45% of its total food intake.
The flicker uses its slightly curved bill to probe and dig into the soil and ant mounds, accessing underground tunnels. To extract its prey, the bird possesses a long, barbed tongue coated in sticky saliva. This specialized tongue can be extended far beyond the end of the bill to lap up ants and other insects. In winter, when ground insects are scarce, the flicker supplements its diet with various fruits, berries, and seeds.
Range, Habitat, and Migration Patterns
The Northern Flicker is found throughout most of North America, occupying a wide variety of open habitats near trees, including open woodlands, parklands, urban yards, and forest edges. Its need for open ground for foraging means it generally avoids dense, unbroken forests. This broad distribution encompasses the eastern Yellow-shafted population and the western Red-shafted population.
In a broad zone across the western Great Plains, where the two major populations meet, they frequently interbreed, producing hybrid offspring with mixed characteristics. This hybridization zone extends from southern Alaska down to northern Texas. The species is one of the few North American woodpeckers that undertakes seasonal movements. Northern populations are strongly migratory, traveling south for the winter, while southern populations remain year-round.