32 American Birds 



side of the limb and planted himself and camera in the 

 rear. 



During our early acquaintance the fledgling flickers 

 savagely resisted our attempts to coax them out of their 

 home. After a few hours in the warm sunshine, they 

 fought every effort to put them back. They were no 

 longer nestlings, for a bit of confidence had turned them 

 into full-fledged birds of the world. 



The following day it was noticed that the flicker popu- 

 lation of the fir woods had increased. Here and there 

 one caught sight of a bird bearing the emblem of a black 

 crescent hung about his neck. Juvenile yar-ups echoed 

 among the scattered trees and over the pond. Occasion- 

 ally there were flashes of red as wings opened and closed 

 and a bird swung through the air in wavelike flight. 



THE WOODPECKER FAMILY 



The Woodpeckers are easily recognized because tliey habitually 

 cling to the bark and climb straight up the limbs, pecking for eggs of 

 insects and worms. The bill is strong and chisel-shaped; the tail feathers 

 stiff and bristly. The woodpecker foot differs from that of other birds in 

 that it has two toes behind and two in front. 



Flicker (Colaptes auratus). Golden-winged Woodpecker, Yellow- 

 hammer, High-holder: Male, above, golden-brown, barred with black ; 

 white patch on rump; breast, with black crescent; below, brownish 

 dotted with black; black patch on cheeks, red band on back of head; 

 lining of wings and tail, yellow. Female lacks the black check patches. 

 Lives in northern and eastern United States to Rocky Mountains, where 

 it arrives from the South in April and stays till October. Nests gener- 

 ally in a hollow tree. Eggs, pure white, usually six to eight. 



Red-shafted Flicker (Colaptes cafer collaris): Much the same as 

 above, except wings and tail lined with red. Red instead of black cheek 

 patches, and no red on back of head. Common on Pacific Coast. 



