Birds of a yellow feather hammer together

The northern flicker is a common woodpecker in Southeast Missouri. It is known by descriptive names like yellow-shafted woodpecker and yellowhammer and names that mimic the bird's calls like clape, heigh-ho, wake-up, wick-up and yarrup.

The northern flicker is often seen feeding on the ground, pulling up worms alongside robins. Flickers will eat berries, seeds and acorns. But their primary diet consists of insects; ants are a favorite. They naturally nest in holes in trees but will sometimes use a nest box.

The northern flicker is wonderfully colored. Notable are the brilliant yellow feathers under its wings and tail and the bright red V on the back of its head. It wears what appears to be a black "chest protector" and has black dots on its beige belly. As if that isn't enough, when in its roller-coasterlike flight pattern it often flashes an impressive white patch of feathers on its lower back just above the tail. Males and females are similar in size and color except for the male's obvious black mustache. How nice is that? Who could ask for more in a bird?

Although the northern flicker is a year-round resident bird of Southeast Missouri and will roost at night inside tree holes, it will sometimes migrate south ahead of very cold weather.

An interesting Civil War story tells how Alabama soldiers became known as Yellowhammers. Today the state bird of Alabama is the yellowhammer, and Alabama is sometimes called the Yellowhammer State.

@body_no_indent italics:Through the Woods is a weekly nature photo column by Aaron Horrell.