164 THE BIRDS 
This is one of our most common birds, remaining the 
year round, and being joined in the winter with the 
northern form (Colaptes auratus luteus), they become so 
numerous that many are shot for game, especially during 
the early fall migration. While at its height, about 
October 1st, they are particularly fond of the blue berry 
of the black-gum tree, and after once finding a tree with 
fruit, will continue to come to it until every berry is gone, 
even though continually shot at. I remember a case a 
few years back, when a local gunner killed fifty-seven 
flickers from one black-gum tree in one forenoon. After 
the gumberries are gone, they take to the dogwood berry 
for their main article of food, a fine red berry and always 
plentiful in Tidewater. During early spring and fall 
migrations they may be noticed in large numbers in the 
cornfields and pastures, where their chief article of food 
is ants. The northward migration at its height reaches 
us about March 15th, when the woods and fields fairly 
teem with this handsome bird. For a home or nesting 
site it selects generally a dead tree, or rotten stub of some 
live one, in which it drills a hole with its sharp beak. The 
cavity may be from ten to sixty feet up, about ten to 
fourteen inches deep, in which is deposited on some small 
chips, from four to seven glossy white eggs. Size, 1.10x 
.90. Fresh eggs from Mav 1st till the 20th may be found, 
oecasionally a second brood. The northern form (Luteus) 
overlaps its breeding range within our area. Its food is 
similar to that of the other woodpeckers, with the addition 
of the black-gum, dogwood, and sassafras berries. As a 
whole they do a great deal of good, and I hope to see them 
fully protected in our State ere long. 
