Animal Tracks - Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker
AKA Red-Shafted Flicker
Colaptes auratus


Flicker tracks on lower right Upper left is hole the flicker was probing for ants


Northern Flicker

Northern flicker in a tree.	The northern flicker is a type of woodpecker. It can grow to 12.5 inches long and have a wingspan of 20 inches. Flickers prefer to eat ants. They will open anthills to get at them. In the photo above, the flicker was probing a hole on a dirt road as I approached. This particular area is a popular place for the flickers. I see them frequently. There must be lots of ants or other insects in that particular stretch of road for them to eat. The flicker has a very distinctive plumage. The back has dark bars and the front is spotted. In flight, the rump is white. The bird in the photo at left is a male. The female lacks the red patch on the cheek. The female has a gray face. Tracks are not often found. They can measure 1 3/4 to almost 2 1/2 inches long and about half an inch wide. Flickers will do damage to buildings, often pecking holes into wood siding. Where I live, this is a constant problem. One way to discourage them is to hang up bright reflective tape, which flutters in the wind and scares off the birds.


Primary feather of a northern flicker. Note the red shaft, which gave this bird its old common name of red-shafted flicker.


A nice northern flicker track in mud. This track was in a drying mud puddle on a dirt road. Flickers are commonly seen in my area on dirt roads, where ants are frequently found. I've even found openings to ant nests in the middle of some dirt roads. Flickers love to eat ants.


Northern flicker track in mud. Flickers often eat ants they find along dirt roads in this area.


A northern flicker searches for insects on a tree trunk. Northern flickers are also called red shafted flickers.


The northern flicker used to be called the red shafted flicker. If you look closely at the orangish-red shaft of the wing feather here, you will see why. Red-shafted is a very descriptive name for this species.


Notice the toes and claws that help the flicker cling to the bark of this tree. The stiff tail feathers also allow this woodpecker to stay upright on the side of the tree. The toes face both forward and backward, which gives the bird a good grip.


Secondary feather of a northern flicker


Northern Flicker feather


Northern flicker beak probe holes in dirt


Northern flicker beak probe holes in dirt

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