BIRDLAND: Wings Of Gold
Northern Flickers are large woodpeckers with gentle expressions and handsome plumage. You can find them just about anywhere in Colorado — from the mountains to the plains, in open fields and city parks. Male Flickers have red whiskers and their upper parts are mostly brownish-gray with black barring. When you’re out walking, don’t be surprised if you scare one up from the ground. Flickers eat mainly ants and beetles, digging for them with their unusual, slightly curved bill. This Northern Flicker was photographed at Bluff Lake by Mark Silverstein.