Northern Flickers have been known to cause property damage by drilling holes in wood and synthetic stucco siding, and eaves of houses. Share this bird Download Our Bird Guide App. This species is part of the genus Colaptes which encompasses 12 New World woodpeckers. There are two types, the more widely spread Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker and the Red-shafted found mainly in southern British Columbia. Of the 11 species of woodpeckers (including sapsuckers) that live in Washington, the Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus,) is probably the most commonly seen and heard. It goes by at least one hundred names.
Northern Flickers may easily be attracted to backyards that have hanging feeders containing hulled sunflower and black oil sunflower seeds. Legs and feet are gray.

It has a black crescent on its breast and a patch of red at the back of its head. Northern Yellow-shafted Flickers from Alaska and Canada strongly migratory, most traveling east and then south. Northern Flickers typically excavate nesting cavities in dead or diseased pine, cottonwood, or willow trees. The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is an indigenous species of the woodpecker family, and it is found in nearly all of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands. Among woodpeckers of North America, the Northern Flicker is one of the few keenly migratory varieties, typically moving south in time for winter. Listen to the sounds of the northern flicker. Fun Facts: More than any other woodpecker, Northern Flickers forage on the ground. Red-shafted Flickers often migrate shorter distances, moving southward and from mountains into lowlands; some spread eastward on Great Plains in winter. Northern flickers, like other woodpeckers, delight humans with their presence at bird feeding stations, particularly when suet is offered. Although the call of the Pileated is a little slower in beat. There is a Red-shafted (shown here) and a Yellow-shafted race. Possible reasons: use of pesticides on lawns and other feeding areas, and diminishing eastern forests.

Because of its big appetite for ants and other ground-dwelling insects, the flicker is a friend to anyone challenged by such prolific creatures. Very few birds eat ants, but they are a favorite food of flickers and they will dig in the dirt to find them. There are over 100 common names for the Northern flicker are known; these include clape, gaffer woodpecker, harry-wicket, heigh-ho, wake-up, walk-up, wick-up, yarrup, and gawker bird. Face is gray with brown crown and forehead.

Many of these names derive from attempts to imitate some of its calls. Migration. Fun Facts for Kids.
The northern flicker is a bird of many names, as it is known to be called by over 100 common names in different areas, some being: heigh-ho and harry-wicket Though it might get annoying to people nearby the woodpecker, they will use a drumming technique on metal flutes and … This woodpecker is a medium to large size woodpecker and is about 11 – 14 inches in length with a 17 -21 inch wingspan.