Feb 2022- Northern Flicker

Our February 2022 Bird of the Month is the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus). Northern Flickers are a woodpecker found throughout most of the continental US and Canada. They are recognized by their long beaks, tan bodies with stripes on the back and spots on the belly, and their shrill calls. 

Flickers do hang around on trees, either to peck for insects in the bark or to build their nests in tree cavities. They also are seen on tree limbs eating fruits and berries or foraging for insects on the ground. 

Flickers are common in the Reno/Sparks area. They can be found in most any park with a large number of trees, including Rancho San Rafael, Oxbow Nature Study Area, Idlewild Park,  and wintering around Virginia Lake.

To learn more about Northern Flickers, visit their entry in the Audubon Field Guide below:
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/northern-flicker

Our Flicker photo was submitted to us in our photo contest participant Timothy Ng. To learn more about our photo contest or to enter it yourself, click here:
Lahontan Audubon Photo Contest