Dimensions: 17-3/4"
high x 9-1/4" wide x 11" deep
|
The
Northern Flicker includes five
subspecies: Yellow-shafted Flicker,
Red-shafted Flicker, Gilded Flicker,
Guatemalan Flicker and Cuban Flicker. The
three subspecies found on the North
American continent are Yellow-shafted
(east of the Rocky Mountains), the
Red-shafted (west of the Rocky Mountains)
and the Gilded (in the Southwest).
Flickers live in a variety of woodland
habitats. They have adapted well to human
habitation and occur in urban, suburban,
and rural areas, in parks, and near farms
and woodlots. They nest near clearings or
other open areas, at forest edges, and in
forests interspersed with meadows,
fields, and clear-cuts. Nests are also
found in savannas and near swamps, ponds,
and recently flooded areas containing
snags. The Gilded Flicker subspecies
nests in saguaro cacti. The northern
populations of flickers return to their
breeding ground from mid-March to early
April. A few weeks after their arrival,
courtship begins. By late April and early
May, pairs have bonded and begun to
breed. The Northern Flicker will nest in
boxes, but boxes should be packed tightly
with sawdust for the birds to excavate.
The more closely the nest box imitates a
"punky" tree, the more
desirable it will appear to Northern
Flickers. Our Northern Flicker House
comes with wood chips and a slate
predator guard to keep squirrels from
enlarging the entrance hole. Flicker
houses should be mounted 6 to 30 feet
high with the entrance hole facing
southeast. |
