Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Birding Life ListUnited States
Written By Jon
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Orange County, California. December 2015. Not baited. Not called in.

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Orange County, California. December 2015. Not baited. Not called in.

I really have a particular affection for the Piciformes : woodpeckers, flickers, sapsuckers, flamebacks.. I find these birds absolutely fascinating.

I am always in awe when I see a picture of a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus). A couple of years ago my wife spotted one while on a walk by the Yellowstone River in Livingston, Montana. But I did not, and her pictures made me feel a bit jealous to be honest :)

Northern Flickers are often seen on the ground, feeding on ants and beetles. They use their bill to dig in the ground. Nevertheless, I spotted this one up on a tree, at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park.

Love Nature.
Jonathan

Jon
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