The Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus, is one of the most distinctive and widespread woodpeckers in North America. Unlike many of its tree-clinging relatives, this species often feeds on the ground, flashing brilliant color from beneath its wings as it takes flight. It is large, striking, and surprisingly adaptable. This is the beginning of Flicker mating season, and lots of folks are hearing their drumming and seeing their mating dances, making them the perfect March Bird of the Month!

Northern Flickers belong to the woodpecker family Picidae and are sometimes called “yellowhammers” in parts of their range. Historically, they were classified as two separate species: the Red-shafted Flicker and the Yellow-shafted Flicker. Today, they are considered regional forms, or subspecies, of one species. In Colorado, we primarily see the Red-shafted Flicker. However, the Yellow-shafted Flicker is gradually expanding its range westward, and hybridization between the two forms is increasingly common.

That blending of field marks makes Colorado an especially exciting place to observe this species. You might spot a classic Red-shafted individual, or you might see a bird with traits from both forms, a living example of evolution in motion.

Basic Identification and Field Marks

Northern Flickers are large woodpeckers, about 11 to 12 inches long, with a wingspan of up to 20 inches. They are brown overall with bold black barring across the back and wings. The chest features a clean black crescent, and the belly is spotted with round black dots.

In Colorado, our Red-shafted Flickers have red coloring on the undersides of their wings and tail feathers. When they fly, that red flashes brilliantly. Males also have a red mustache stripe on the cheek.

Yellow-shafted Flickers, more common in the eastern United States, show bright yellow under the wings and tail. Males have a black mustache stripe instead of red. As their range pushes west, Colorado birders are beginning to see hybrids with mixed traits, such as orange wing linings or unusual facial markings.

In flight, flickers move in a distinctive bounding pattern, alternating quick wingbeats with brief glides. Their call is a loud, ringing “kleer” or “wick-a-wick-a-wick” that often carries across neighborhoods.

Habitat and Range

Northern Flickers are one of the most widespread woodpeckers in North America, found from Alaska and Canada through most of the United States and into parts of Central America.

They thrive in open habitats with scattered trees. You will find them in:

• Open woodlands
• Forest edges
• Suburban neighborhoods
• Parks and golf courses
• Riparian corridors
• Grasslands with trees nearby

In Colorado, they are common year-round residents, especially along the Front Range and throughout Colorado Springs. Some northern populations migrate south for winter, but our local Red-shafted Flickers are typically permanent residents.

The gradual westward expansion of Yellow-shafted Flickers has led to a growing hybrid zone that stretches across the Great Plains and into parts of Colorado. This interbreeding area is a fascinating case study in how subspecies merge over time.

Food Preferences and Foraging Behavior

What makes Northern Flickers especially unique among woodpeckers is their strong preference for feeding on the ground.

While they do excavate wood and forage on tree trunks, flickers are ant specialists. Ants can make up a significant portion of their diet. They use their long, barbed tongues to probe into soil and extract ants and beetle larvae. Their saliva is sticky, helping them capture multiple insects at once.

In addition to ants, they eat:

• Beetles
• Caterpillars
• Termites
• Grasshoppers
• Fruits and berries in fall and winter

Unlike some woodpeckers that cling vertically to tree trunks, flickers are often seen hopping across lawns, probing into the soil. This behavior surprises many people who assume all woodpeckers stay on trees.

During winter, they may visit backyard feeders for suet, peanut pieces, or black oil sunflower seeds. 

Courtship and Mating

Northern Flicker courtship is lively and dramatic.

In spring, males begin by calling loudly and drumming on resonant surfaces to establish territory and attract mates. Unlike smaller woodpeckers that drum primarily on trees, flickers may drum on metal vents, gutters, chimney caps, or even street signs to amplify their sound.

Courtship displays often include head-bobbing, wing-spreading, and short chases. A particularly fascinating behavior is “fencing,” where two birds face each other and jab their bills back and forth in ritualized combat. It can look aggressive, but it is part of establishing dominance and pairing bonds.

Once a pair forms, they begin selecting a nesting site.

Northern Flickers are cavity nesters. They typically excavate their own nesting cavities in dead or decaying trees, though they may also use large wooden utility poles or nest boxes designed for flickers.

The excavation process can take one to two weeks. Both male and female participate in digging, creating a deep cavity with a narrow entrance hole.

The female lays between 5 and 8 white eggs. Both parents share incubation duties for about 11 to 13 days.

After hatching, the nestlings are fed by both parents through regurgitation. Flicker chicks grow quickly and remain in the nest for approximately 24 to 28 days before fledging.

Once fledged, the young birds may stay near their parents for a short period while learning to forage independently. Within a few weeks, they become fully self-sufficient.

Flickers typically raise one brood per year, though in some areas they may attempt a second.

Attracting Northern Flickers

While flickers are not as feeder-dependent as chickadees or finches, there are ways to make your yard inviting.

Provide suet during cooler months. High-quality suet with insects or peanut blends can attract them. Offer it in a sturdy feeder that accommodates larger birds.

Leave some leaf litter or natural areas in your yard. Flickers appreciate access to ground insects.

Avoid pesticide use. Since ants and beetles are key parts of their diet, maintaining healthy insect populations supports flickers naturally.

Provide fresh water. A ground-level birdbath or larger basin can be especially appealing.

Most importantly, preserve standing dead trees when safe to do so. Snags are critical nesting sites not just for flickers but for many cavity-nesting birds.

Spotting Northern Flickers in Colorado

In Colorado Springs and along the Front Range, flickers are most visible in spring when they are vocal and active during breeding season.

Listen for their loud calls and drumming. Watch lawns and open fields for large brown birds hopping and probing the soil.

During migration periods, keep an eye out for individuals that show mixed traits between Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted forms. You may notice:

• Orange-tinted wing linings
• Unusual cheek markings
• Partial mustache stripes

These hybrids are not rare mistakes. They are part of a natural blending process that has been documented for decades.

Conservation Concerns

Northern Flickers are currently considered a species of low conservation concern overall, but like many birds, they face challenges.

Habitat loss reduces nesting opportunities. Removal of dead trees eliminates essential cavity sites.

Window strikes are a threat, especially in suburban neighborhoods.

Climate change may influence insect availability and range shifts, which could further affect the hybrid zone between Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted forms.

Supporting native habitats, reducing pesticide use, making windows bird-safe, and preserving natural areas all help protect flickers and countless other species.

The Northern Flicker is not just another woodpecker. It is a ground forager, a brilliant flash of red in flight, a loud springtime drummer, and in Colorado, a front-row seat to evolutionary change.