Northern Flicker

Frequently observed in the fir trees behind our house in Abbotsford, B.C., we have also often seen a Northern Flicker foraging in the grass near our patio. Flickers are a type of woodpecker and the Northern Flicker can be found throughout the USA and Canada and as far north as the Northwest Territories and Alaska. These birds have predominately brown plumage with a spotted belly and a barred back. There is a distinctive dark patch under the throat and a white patch on the rump. Males of the Western variety display a red patch on their face.

Top photo taken in October 2009. Bottom photos taken in September and October 2013,