• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Northern Flickers (1 Viewer)

KristieNat

Well-known member
For awhile I had some Northern Flickers coming to my suet feeders and I loved seeing them. Around the beginning of summer, however, I stopped seeing them. I still see one/hear one occasionally but they aren't coming to my feeders at all anymore. I was just a little concerned because around that same time, European Starlings started taking over the area, feeding their juveniles and being obnoxious and bossy. After taking down the suet feeders for a couple of days, they seemed to move on, but I still haven't seen any Flickers. I know that Starlings sometimes will chase Flickers away from their nesting cavities and that is what worries me. I've considered that maybe the Flickers are probably raising their own broods around this time so maybe they're just preoccupied. However, all my other woodpecker visitors continue to come to the feeder regularly. Does anyone know what may have happened? Have they moved to a different area, maybe?
 
Flickers are voracious ant eaters. Find the ants, and flickers should be fairly close. Have a pair visiting regularly, and both ignore suet, walnuts, or even the thistle feeder in favor of ants, (seasonal of course). Their tongues are specialized to probe for ants. Up to 5 inches long (125mm) & sticky, they're well adapted.

They readily take to water, so if none is available, perhaps a dripper would help coax them out. The nestlings should be fledged or coming off the nest right about now. Trees favorable to nesting, & becoming harder to find could also be a factor in reduced visibility. Coming dog day weeks of August should see adults and juveniles pursuing ants with a passion.
 
Thanks so much for the response. It's very possible that it has to do with the ants - as it got warmer, I'm sure there were more available, so perhaps they just don't need the suet like they did in the late winter and spring. I do remember spotting one foraging on the ground a few weeks ago, so I assume they're still in the general area. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for juveniles; I would love to see them.
 
I saw some of these the other week, amazing birds, very colourful and entertaining to watch on display. Mine were in treetops hooting, not eating ants however. I can't wait til ant season, I said for the first time ever.
 
You're welcome, Kristie'. Might get a kick out of the pic below. Went on like that throughout last winter.
Apparently that flicker loves thistle seed. Or perhaps, it's far sighted and imagined ants.

They are vocal during spring. Several years ago, a pair awoke me
from a sound sleep, as they were carrying on calling to each other,
on top the house.
 

Attachments

  • K5__0108.jpg
    K5__0108.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 45
Awesome picture - I never thought I'd see one on a hanging feeder, although I do have Red-bellied Woodpeckers that have recently started to visit my hanging feeder on a daily basis for peanuts. It's pretty funny to see because they're such big birds and the feeder is a tiny little $10 plastic one. I had even taken the perches off to deter House Finches, so there's barely anything to hang on to. Anything for peanuts, I guess.

Also really interesting that the Flicker was attracted to the thistle - I'll have to remember that for winter!
 
I take down the suet feeders in the summer. The woodpeckers have plenty of food anyway, and don't hit the feeders until around November or December. Let 'em eat bugs.
 
I saw one foraging on the ground, right at the edge of my lawn/woods boundary, just last evening.

There was one "inspecting" a potential nest cavity just a few nights ago, but it seems a bit late for this year. It was funny, because the bird looked in the hole, then went in (far enough to disappear) then kept popping up, and then backing down out of sight, again. It was as if it was making sure the cavity "fit" properly. Then it flew away, and hasn't been back, while I have been watching.

I didn't get to see if either one last was male or female. I guess I was too busy enjoying seeing them to notice much of any importance, like M or F.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 10 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top