NORTHERN FLICKER 285 



and owls. Taverner and Swales (1907) say that the sharpshin flights 

 at Point Pelee discommoded the flickers less than any other species 

 of small birds. "Though at times they seemed uneasy and restless, 

 they were perfectly able to take care of themselves and easily made 

 their escape when attacked. * * * The usual course of procedure 

 of the Flicker, when attacked by a hawk, was to wait until the last 

 minute, when the hawk, in its swoop, was just about to seize its 

 victim, and then dodge quickly to the other side of the limb. In 

 every case observed the ruse worked perfectly, and we found only 

 once the feather remains vrhich proved that once in a while the hav.k 

 was a little too quick for the Flicker." 



Mr. Burns (1900) says that the eggs and young are sometimes 

 destroyed by squirrels, weasels, mice, crows, jays, and the red-headed 

 vroodpecker. Fred. H. Kennard records in his notes that a pair of 

 flickers, nesting in one of his boxes, were robbed of their eggs by 

 some red squirrels, who ate the eggs in the box, built their own nest 

 in the box, and brought in their young from another nest. 



Fall. — As soon as the young are strong on the wing and the molting 

 season is over, the flickers, old and young, begin to gather into loose 

 flocks or scattered parties, perhaps family parties, late in summer 

 and early in fall. On cold, windy autumn days they may be found 

 in close companionship in hollows and sheltered localities in woodland 

 clearings, protected from the cold winds, and feeding in the bayberry 

 patches and clumps of staghorn sumac. At such times, they lie close 

 and can be easily approached. 



In southern Canada and the Northern States, the gi'eat bulk of the 

 flickers start to migrate in September, continuing to pass southward 

 during October. Mr. Burns (1900) says of the fall migration : "While 

 the retrograde movements are conducted in larger numbers, being re- 

 cruited by great numbers of birds of the year, it is scarcely as notice- 

 able, lacking the noise and bustle of Spring arrivals. Like the Robin, 

 its whole nature seems to have undergone a change. It no longer solic- 

 its notice by song or display, but becomes shy and suspicious, and while 

 gregarious to a great extent, in flight every one is capable of looking 

 out for itself. The mature birds are the most AA'ary, and by example 

 prepare the young for the dangers of migration and Winter residence 

 in the South, where it is constantly menaced by hunters." 



During migration, they fly rather high, well above the treetops, in 

 widely detached flocks, often far apart, but keeping more or less in 

 touch with each other and sometimes fairly close together; hundreds 

 may be counted, as they pass in a steady stream for hours at a time. 

 Taverner and Swales (1907) report heavy flights across Lake Erie 

 from Point Pelee : "During September it has ahvays been one of the 

 most abundant birds of the Point. Keays reports a flight in 1901 when 

 he noted four hundred September 21." Long Point, which extends 



