AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



15 



HABITS. 



The flicker is familiarly known 

 under the names of "golden-winged 

 woodpecker," "yellow hummer," 

 "yellow-shafted flicker," and often 

 as "highhole." It is generally a 

 shy bird, and, with its watchful 

 eye always on the lookout for dan- 

 ger, most always manages to keep 

 a goodly distance away. Some- 

 times, one bolder than his fellows, 

 or perhaps one who has not yet ar- 

 rived at the age of discretion, allows 

 you to approach quite near. He 

 generally manages, however, to 

 keep on the opposite side of the tree 

 trunk, only showing his head from 

 time to time, to ascertain if you are 

 evilly inclined. 



Their flight, though rapid, ap- 

 pears laborious; each downward 

 motion of the wings gives them an 

 upward and forward impetus, the 

 force of which is nearly expended 

 before the next, thus making their 

 progress a series of ups and 

 downs. Unlike most of the wood- 

 peckers, the flicker is at home on 

 the ground and is to be found there 

 quite often, especially in the fall, 

 when families of six or eight birds 

 may be found in a field. They hop 

 about with a gait which, though 

 awkward, answers their purpose, 

 and creates havoc among the ants 

 and worms. You will frequently 

 see them sitting on an ant hill, 

 gorging themselves with the insects. 

 Their tongue being very long and 

 barbed at the tip, is admirably 

 adapted to this purpose. When 

 disturbed at their work, they tly off 



with a peculiar purring note. Their 

 identity cannot be mistaken, on ac- 

 count of the undulatory motion of 

 their flight, and because of the 

 white patch on the rump, which 

 shows very plainly. 



The flicker is very affectionate in 

 the mating season, and it is an 

 amusing sight to see a male paying 

 his respects to a flicker belle. He 

 will sidle up to her with an en- 

 dearing "flick — ah, flick — ah," 

 and then retreat and peek shyly 

 at her from behind the limb. This 

 he repeats until accepted. If on 

 the other hand he is rejected, he 

 flies away to try his fortunes else- 

 where. 



Few birds have more command 

 of the vocal organs than the 

 flicker, and the number of their 

 notes is unlimited. The two most 

 familiar, and the ones that may be 

 termed their characteristic notes, 

 are a loud piercing shriek, and 

 what I think is properly the flick- 

 er's song, a very loud "ki ki ki — " 

 gradually falling off in pitch, and 

 kept up until it seems as though 

 he couldn't possibly have any 

 breath left in him. 



Another peculiar trait which is 

 common to all woodpeckers is their 

 drumming. They will cling to a 

 dead limb for hours and with their 

 long bills tap the resonant wood; 

 this they do with great rapidity, so 

 that the sound is almost continuous. 

 Then stopping for an instant, they 

 will turn their heads to one side, 

 as if listening for an answer; and 



