Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus This information was scanned from The Birds of British Columbia (Campbell et al.), Volume II, pages 446-449. This series was published by UBC Press, Vancouver, British Columbia. Volumes I, II and III of The Birds of British Columbia can be ordered electronically at: orders@ubcpress.ubc.ca from UBC Press in Vancouver, British Columbia.

 

Range Northern Flicker breeds throughout most of North America from the Arctic tree limit to Nicaragua. Winters from southern Canada south through the remainder of the breeding range.

Status Fairly common local resident in the southern third of the province including Vancouver Island; uncommon resident north to the Queen Charlotte Islands and Prince Rupert on the coast. Rare to uncommon summer visitant throughout the remainder of the province. Breeds.

Status Change No change.

Nonbreeding The Northern Flicker is widely distributed in British Columbia. Throughout its nonbreeding range it frequents a variety of open forest types as well as farmland, pastureland, and other open habitats including rural and urban residential areas. In the latter areas, it can often be found feeding on cultivated fruits and at feeders. One male flicker visited a suet feeder daily throughout -40° C temperatures (Williams Lake, January 1979). Migration periods are difficult to discern in areas where birds are resident. During spring, the number of observations in certain areas increases from March to May. Birds arrive on their breeding areas in early March in southern areas, and in the latter half of May in the north. Autumn migration appears to begin in late August, peaking by mid-to-late September and continuing through October. In some areas, small loose flocks of more than 10 birds have been reported. During autumn, some of the northern populations move from their breeding areas to southern interior valleys and the coast. Winter distribution of the cafer group (Red-shafted Flicker) includes Vancouver Island east through the Fraser Lowlands, the Okanagan valley and the Kootenays, with smaller numbers farther north to Williams Lake; rarely to Prince George and Smithers. The majority of the auratus group (Yellow-shafted Flicker) appears to winter outside British Columbia.

Breeding Nests Eggs Young The Northern Flicker is a widespread breeder throughout most of British Columbia. Breeding habitats include virtually all forested zones in the province from near sea level to 2,100 m. It prefers open habitats such as aspen-lodgepole pine parkland, riparian woodland, forest edges, ponderosa pine forests, urban and rural gardens, rangeland, pastureland, orchards, alpine meadow edges, burns, logged areas and second growth plantations.

Nests:  Most nests (90%; n=731) were situated in natural sites, including deciduous (48%) and coniferous (26%) trees, stumps and snags (16%), and silt or clay cliffs. Man-made sites included nest boxes (4%), fence posts (3%), buildings, power poles, marina breakwater pilings, and a clothesline pole. Of the 543 nest trees identified, the most frequently used species were trembling aspen (38%), lodgepole pine (10%), ponderosa pine (9%), black cottonwood (8%), Douglas-fir (8%), and birches (6%); 67% of the deciduous trees were living, while only 35% of the coniferous trees were alive. In her Orchard Lake study area, Keisker (1986) found that flickers preferred dead trees or the dead tops of live trees. She labeled the Northern Flicker a "weak excavator," noting that the birds generally did not excavate through sound wood but required trees where decay had weakened both sapwood and heartwood. The diameter at breast height (DBH) of 5 coastal nest trees ranged from 25 to 89 cm with a mean of 48 cm; the DBH of 59 interior nest trees ranged from 23 to 91 cm with a mean of 38 cm. These data are supported by Kelleher's (1963) coastal and Keisker's (1986) interior studies. Most nests (94%) were located in excavated cavities, mainly in the main trunk of trees, 26 nests were found in nest boxes, 10 in the walls of abandoned buildings, and 1 in the ventilator of a hospital operating room. Both sexes excavate the cavity (n=2). Heights for 772 nests ranged from ground level to 27 m with most nests (60%) below 3 m. The cavity bottom of a nest in a fencepost was 46 cm below the ground. The cavity depth of 33 nests ranged from 25 to 76 cm with a mean depth of 43 cm. Three cavity diameters ranged from 13 to 25 cm. The diameter of 13 entrance holes ranged from 5 to 13 cm with a mean of 8 cm. Nest material was primarily wood chips from the excavation process. Eggs: Dates for 258 clutches ranged from 23 April to 10 July with 51% recorded between 19 May and 6 June. Calculated dates suggest nests can have eggs as late as 25 July. In southern areas, where birds are resident, clutch initiation begins up to one month earlier than in northern areas. Sizes for 209 clutches ranged from 1 to 13 eggs (1E-2, 2E-3, 3E-10, 4E-11, 5E-23, 6E-29, 7E-48, 8E-58, 9E15, 10E-7, llE-2, 13E-1) with 51% having 7 or 8 eggs. Incubation periods for 17 nests in British Columbia ranged between 11 and 13 days. In 1 nest, 7 eggs hatched over a 6-day period. Eggs are laid 1 per day (n=6); both sexes incubate (n=13). Young: Dates for 370 broods ranged from 4 May to 10 Aug with 51% recorded between 11 and 29 June. Sizes for 187 broods ranged from 1 to 11 young (1Y-2, 2Y-10, 3Y-12, 4Y-21, 5Y-33, 6Y-31, 7Y-49, 8Y-17, 9Y-8, 10Y-3,11Y-1) with 60% having 5 to 7 young. Data from 26 nests in British Columbia suggest a nestling period of 23 to 27 days. Sherman (1910) notes that nestlings may be seen at the nest hole at 17 to 18 days and leave the cavity at 25 to 28 days.

Remarks Both the Yellow-shafted (auratus) and Red-shafted (caper) groups of the Northern Flicker occur in British Columbia. The cafer group is the more common of the two, ranging throughout most of the province, including Vancouver and the Queen Charlotte Islands, but absent from the northeastern corner. The caper group's centre of abundance is coastal and southern British Columbia. The range of the auratus group lies north of a line running approximately from Mount Robson Park in the southeast to Vanderhoof and Francois Lake in the central interior and Stewart in the west. In the Chilcotin-Cariboo Basin, the caper group predominates, but intergrades between the 2 groups are not uncommon (see Erskine 1962). Previously known as the Common Flicker, the Yellow-Shafted Flicker and the Red-shafted Flicker.