A land manager's guide to conserving habitat for forest birds in ...

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Flickers are highest in the boreal and lowest in the Carolinian
region. Habitat loss, competition for nest sites with European
Starlings, and decreased availability of suitable nest sites have
contributed to its decline.
Breeding Biology
Flickers function as both a primary and secondary cavity-nester,
capable of excavating new nests each year but also nesting in
natural or old woodpecker cavities. They breed in openings and
edges of deciduous and mixed-woods, including burned areas and
clearcuts if snags are retained. Northern Flickers breed in Ontario
between late-April and mid July, laying seven to eight pure white
eggs, and raising a single brood. In southern Ontario, they prefer to
nest in the mid-storey in large diameter, dead, soft maple trees.
Diet
Northern Flickers feed principally on ants but also take other
insects, fruit, seeds, and berries. They feed primarily on the
ground, digging in the dirt and on downed logs to find ants, and
use their long barbed tongue to lap them up.
Management Guidelines
As a species dependent on large diameter dead and declining trees,
retention of snags and declining cavity trees during harvesting will
benefit flickers. Unlike many forest species, increased residential
development and fragmentation have increased the amount of
habitat for flickers. They play an important role in forested
ecosystems by excavating nesting and roosting holes that are
subsequently used by many other birds and mammals that cannot
make their own.
Male Northern Flicker — Photo: Terry Sohl
Identification (28–31 centimetres)
This common ant-eating woodpecker, ranges across the forested
part of North America. In the east, it has yellow feathers on the
underside of the wing and tail visible during flight (reddish in the
west). Males have a black “moustache” that is absent on females.
Otherwise, both sexes are barred black and brown on top,
spotted with black below, and have brown faces, grey heads, a
red crescent on the nape, a black crescent on the upper breast,
and a conspicuous white rump.
Conservation Status
The Northern Flicker is widespread and common, yet populations
have declined by 70 percent over the last 35 years, placing it as a
species of regional concern. It occurs throughout most wooded
regions of North America, and is a familiar bird in many suburban
environments. It breeds in most forest types, relying on large
diameter dead and declining trees. Ontario densities of Northern
How to Find
One of the best ways to spot a Northern Flicker is to listen for its
loud kick, kick, kick or wick-a-wick-a-wick-a call from
the top of a dead snag. Look for the bird’s undulating flight and
prominent white rump.
Did you know?
• The Northern Flicker is one of the few North American
woodpeckers that is strongly migratory. Most birds in the
northern parts of the range move south for the winter.
• Flickers are easily identified by their strong undulating flight and
prominent white rumps.
• Although it climbs up tree trunks and hammers on wood like
other woodpeckers, the species prefers to find food on the
ground. Ants are its favorite food.
• Flickers make a loud whinny call that sounds somewhat like
laughter and is often confused with the Pileated Woodpecker.
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Bird Species Accounts