What is a Northern Flicker
Overview
If you’ve ever seen a Northern Flicker in your backyard or nearby nature reserve, you’ve witnessed one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. These small birds are very hardy and able to survive in a wide variety of habitats, from cold northern forests to warm deserts. In this article, we’ll take a look at the size, habit, diet, and breading of Northern Flickers.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Piciformes
- Family: Picidae
- Genus: Colaptes
- Species: C. auratus
Size and Body Description
The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a small, stocky bird that can be found across North America. This bird has a mostly black body with a white throat and breast. The Northern Flicker’s wings are short and its tail is long and thin. It has a short bill and large eyes. The male Northern Flicker has a brightly colored head while the female is duller in color.
The Northern Flicker is a small, stocky bird that can be found across North America. This bird has a mostly black body with a white throat and breast. The Northern Flicker’s wings are short and its tail is long and thin. It has a short bill and large eyes. The male Northern Flicker has a brightly colored head while the female is duller in color.
This bird mainly eats insects, but will also eat other small animals. The Northern Flicker nests in tree cavities during the wintertime.
Habitat and Range
Northern Flickers are cavity nesters, which means they build their homes in trees. They prefer deciduous trees, such as oak, maple, and birch, but will also use coniferous trees such as pine. Northern Flickers are generalists and will eat a variety of insects, but are particularly fond of carpenter bees and their larvae.
Diet
Northern Flickers are cavity nesters and eat mostly insects, but will also consume other small animals. They spend the winter in warm areas and migrate to cooler climates in the spring. Also, the diet of a Northern Flicker should include plenty of insects, but also other small animals.
Breeding
The Northern Flicker is a common bird in North America. They are omnivorous, eating insects, birds, small mammals, and berries. The breeding season for the Northern Flicker is from March to June. The male will court the female by singing and dancing. After mating, the male will build a nest in a tree and lay two to four eggs. The chicks will fledge in about twelve weeks. Moreover, Northern Flicker populations vary greatly throughout the year, with higher populations in the summer and fall. They are present in all 50 states but are most common in the eastern half of the United States.