It doesn't look too special from the top, but when you turn it over.........
The Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus is one of the few birds that nests in all 49 continental states. There are some regional variations which were at one time listed as separate species, the one we get here is the Yellow-shafted Flicker (No surprise there then!). Populations are thought to be declining due to competition for nesting sites with European Starlings and loss of suitable nesting trees. To see the actual bird check this picture.
Photo Credits - CJT
6 comments:
That is a find...You said you were involved with breeding pearl crescents. That is so interesting as I just discovered the little creatures...
Michelle - Yes, I work at a Nature Museum and we are involved in various restoration projects, one of which is the breeding and reintroduction of various threatened species of butterflies.
Some species are very labour intensive but the Pearl Crescents do really well and we have had great success with them.
Oh how much fun and how rewarding to work at a nature museum...
Michelle - Yes it is pretty much the ideal job for me! I consider myself very lucky.
Celeste, thanks for your numerous visits to my blog and all the good info you left me. This feather photo is so lovley. I love flickers. I think they are an interesting bird. I love the pattern of their plumage and the way they stand on a fence or cling to a tree. We have all 3 varieties here in AZ. I have seen the red-shafted and the gilded flicker. I don't think I have seen the yellow-shafted here, but I am always on the lookout. The gilded is what I see around Sycamore Canyon but if I go anywhere where it is forested I see the red.
Kathie = Thanks for dropping by. It seems I have to get to Arizona and see some different Flickers! I to thoroughly enjoy watching them. When I first moved to the US I was very puzzled to see a bird that was obviously a woodpecker relative spending so much time foraging on the ground, very neat.
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