114 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



the children are able to make out for themselves that 

 flickers eat ants or not, it is well to have them know that 

 during the summer and fall months more than two thirds 

 of the food of the flickers consists of ants. 



When does the nicker make its nest? Some of the 

 children will have a chance to watch them digging holes 

 for their nests. What tools do they use in chipping out 

 the wood ? Their strong chisellike bills. Do both birds 

 work in making the nest? Tell the children that if they 

 have very sharp eyes they can distinguish the male from 

 the female by looking at the sides of the throat. The male 

 has a black stripe on each side of the throat. How far 

 from the ground are the nests made ? Compare different 

 ones. Watch the birds caring for the young. Listen for 

 the loud hissing sound made by the young while they are 

 still in the nest. Watch them come forth from the nest. 

 Can they fly well ? Few young birds can fly farther than 

 young flickers. Do the parents continue to feed the young 

 after they have left the nest? This will be easily deter- 

 mined , since the young beg in such a noisy manner for 

 just another bite that the children will be sure to hear 

 them. 



Have the children decide whether the flickers are of 

 any use to us. The fact that they eat so many ants and 

 other injurious insects places them among our most bene- 

 ficial birds. Leave unanswered the problems whether 

 flickers use the same nest year after year, and whether they 

 stay with us all winter or go away in the fall as robins and 

 bluebirds do. A few flickers remain here over winter. 

 They often excavate holes in trees or buildings and remain 

 under shelter during the nights and very cold days. On 



