Birdland: Drummer Boy

Northern Flickers excavate nesting cavities in cottonwood, pine and willow trees, preferring the dead sections that offer plenty of room for the females to lay their eggs. The male Flicker often returns to his favorite drumming spot, which is often the noisiest he can find. According to Audubon, Northern Flickers are still abundant, but recent surveys indicate declines in populations since the 1960s, as encroaching development may drive the woodpeckers away. This Northern Flicker was photographed by Mark Silverstein at First Creek Trail, where cottonwoods and other trees were recently chopped down for a sewer line (click here for the story).