The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a large, uniquely beautiful member of the woodpecker family (Picidae) native across North America. Unlike most woodpeckers that spend their lives clinging vertically to tree trunks, Northern Flickers break the family mold by foraging primarily on the ground. Celebrated for their intricate feather patterns and flashes of brilliant underwing color, these highly vocal birds are common sights in American backyards, woodlands, and open spaces throughout the year.
Northern Flicker Quick Facts
| Common Name | Northern Flicker, Yellowhammer |
| Scientific Name | Colaptes auratus |
| Size & Length | 11.0 to 12.2 inches |
| Wingspan | 16.5 to 20.1 inches |
| Weight | 3.9 to 5.6 ounces |
| US Range | Coast-to-coast nationwide across all lower 48 states and Alaska |
| Migration | Partially migratory (Northern populations move south) |
| Conservation Status | Stable / Experiencing gradual long-term declines |
How to Identify Northern Flickers
Northern Flickers are large woodpeckers—noticeably larger than a Downy Woodpecker and roughly the same size as an American Robin. They possess a gently curved, slender bill, a rounded head, and a long, stiff, pointed tail that they use to prop themselves up when resting on trees or lawns.
Plumage and Intricate Markings
The Northern Flicker’s overall color palette is a masterclass in natural camouflage.
- The Upperparts: The back and wings are a warm, brownish-gray intricately barred with black horizontal crescent stripes.
- The Underparts: The belly and chest are a soft, creamy tan densely patterned with clean, round black spots. A bold, pitch-black crescent-shaped bib cuts across the upper chest.
- In Flight: Look for a large, starkly visible white rump patch right above the tail. This patch flashes conspicuously when the bird blushes or flushes up from a lawn, serving as an instant identification mark.
The Two Major Regional Forms
In the United States, Northern Flickers split into two distinct geographic variants that were once considered separate species. They interbreed readily where their ranges collide across the Great Plains.
- Yellow-shafted Flicker (Eastern & Northern US): The flight feathers and tail feathers are lined with a brilliant, golden-yellow underneath. Adults feature a bright red crescent patch on the back of their nape (neck). Breeding males sport a black “mustache” stripe extending from the beak down the cheek.
- Red-shafted Flicker (Western US): The flight feathers and tail feathers are lined with a vibrant, salmon-pink or ruby-red underneath. They completely lack the red patch on the back of the neck, and their faces are gray rather than brown. Breeding males sport a bright red mustache stripe instead of a black one.
Habitat and U.S. Range
Northern Flickers hold a massive footprint across the United States. While populations in the southern and coastal states remain in place year-round, flickers nesting in Alaska and northern Canada migrate south in massive waves during autumn, settling across the southern US for the winter.
Because they are ground foragers, they favor transitional landscapes where trees meet open spaces:
- Open woodlands, forest edges, and clear-cut timber areas.
- Suburban residential backyards, orchards, golf courses, and urban parks.
- Agricultural pastures, savannas, and river valleys.
They avoid dense, dark, continuous old-growth forests that lack open, sunny ground floors.
Diet and the Chemistry of Anting
While Northern Flickers happily consume wild berries, thistles, sunflower seeds, and acorns during the autumn and winter, they are intense insect specialists.
Ground Hunting for Ants
Ants comprise roughly 45% of the Northern Flicker’s total year-round diet, a percentage higher than almost any other North American bird. Flickers use their slightly curved bills to hammer directly into soil, rotted logs, or ant mounds, creating holes to access tunnels.
They possess a highly specialized, elongated tongue that wraps around the back of their skull. The tip of the tongue is flat, smooth, and coated with an extremely sticky saliva generated by massive salivary glands. Flickers lap up hundreds of ants simultaneously, consuming up to 5,000 ants in a single feeding session.
The Mystery of Anting Behavior
Ornithologists frequently observe Northern Flickers engaging in a bizarre ritual called anting. The bird will deliberately sit directly on top of an active anthill, ruffle its feathers, and allow hundreds of ants to crawl over its body. Frequently, the flicker will pick up individual ants with its beak and rub them directly along its primary wing feathers.
Why they do it: Ants secrete formic acid as a defense mechanism. When rubbed onto the feathers, this chemical acts as a natural insecticide and fungicide, killing feather mites, lice, and microbial pathogens that degrade the bird’s plumage. Furthermore, removing the formic acid from the ants makes them safer and much easier for the flicker to digest afterward.
How to Attract Northern Flickers to Your Yard
Because Northern Flickers spend so much time on the ground, traditional small tube feeders hanging from thin wires will not accommodate them. Adjust your property to mimic their natural foraging preferences.
1. Place Foods on Low Platforms
Flickers are highly comfortable eating at ground level or on flat, wide surfaces.
- Best Feeders: Large, low-to-the-ground platform trays or open ground-level feeding stations.
- Top Foods: Offer shelled peanuts, black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and mealworms.
2. Supply High-Protein Suet Blocks
Flickers are obsessed with suet, especially during the cold winter months when frozen ground cuts off access to ants. Use a heavy-duty suet cage attached to the trunk of a mature tree, or install a tail-prop suet feeder to allow them to balance comfortably using their stiff tail feathers.
3. Leave Dead Trees and Wood Debris
Flickers are cavity nesters. If safety allows, keep dead tree trunks (snags) standing on your property. They also love foraging through old rotting logs, brush piles, and heavy wood chip mulches where ants and beetles multiply naturally.
Vocalizations and Spring Drumming
Northern Flickers are exceptionally loud birds. Their primary vocalization is a long, loud, repeating, rhythmic series of sharp notes that sounds like “wick-wick-wick-wick-wick,” lasting up to ten seconds at a time. This call is easily confused with the song of the Pileated Woodpecker. When perched, they also emit a loud, piercing, single-syllable whistle that sounds like “kyeer!”
Because they do not sing to declare territory, flickers use drumming in early spring. To maximize the volume of their territorial signals, they will repeatedly hammer their bills against hollow trees, metal chimney caps, street signs, and aluminum gutters, creating a machine-gun-like racket meant to deter rivals and charm prospective mates.