Northern Flicker

[Laurasea]

Northern Flicker is declining in almost every state in the United States of America. I'm not sure if this info copied ok, so will add a link in edit. You can help, by putting up a nest box, Cornell University has free download nest box blue prints for the Northern Flicker and many more species. The American Kestrel is also in dire need of nest boxes!!! Many species of birds would be happy to live in our neighborhoods if they had nest boxes. (Because hollow trees have all been removed) I started in my neighborhood by putting up a blue bird box, after having 15 pairs of bluebirds fighting over it, I put up more, I asked and got neighbors to put up bluebirds boxes. Most people don't know how vital nest boxes are to many species, that don't build nests. Cornell University also has a nest watch, and backyard bird count you can join. Anyway a few nest boxes in your yard ate way more valuable than a bird feeders, so I hope you will put one up. Use s pole, I used an electric conduit pipe from the big box stores, price five to ten dollars, and just pounded it into the ground.
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Northern Flicker © Steve Delloff
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SPECIES IN DECLINE
This species is in decline in certain regions. You can put up a nest box to help.

 

[Allee]

Thank you, great idea for a thread and great timing. Cornell university is a wonderful resource for information about our native bird species. Thank you for all you do for the wild ones, I know the nest boxes makes a big difference.

 

[Laurasea]

Watch The Messenger, free on Netflix, here is a link to a clip. [ame="https://youtu.be/LjQtRr4CKcc"]OFFICIAL TRAILER THE MESSENGER DOCUMENTARY - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Allee]

Ahhh, such a sad, beautiful message. Everyone should see this. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Laurasea]

Thank you, great idea for a thread and great timing. Cornell university is a wonderful resource for information about our native bird species. Thank you for all you do for the wild ones, I know the nest boxes makes a big difference.

Yes! This is the perfect time to put up a nest box, so it will be used in the spring. Having been scouted, and so it has time to not be scary new, when breeding season comes. Also 99% of songbirds feed their young insects! So plant some native plants, let the insects eat them, you don't have to freak out every time you see a bug. Most species of plants can perfectly survive being stripped by caterpillar, and come back string and fine, and even more robust. I'm reaching out to all you bird lover's!!!!!!!!! A nest box or two, a native plant or two, like the beautiful blooming service berry bush, can make a dramatic difference. I hope this giving season, you will give cavity nesters a chance, and our up a nest box! Even if you rent, just put it on a pole, easy to remove later, even if you live in a city, you'd be suprised how fast birds will find your nest box, and how willing they are to live amoung us.

 

[Allee]

I've been feeding wild birds for years, once you learn what the various species need at a feeding station it just gets better and better and gardening fits right in. I've never used chemicals or pesticides on my lawn, you are so right about the bugs, they know what their jobs are. So many pretty plants, trees and shrubs can be added to the landscape and the wild bird menu at the same time. Last year I planted a Passion flower vine, it grew like Jack's beanstalk and bloomed continuously until early fall, then I noticed the vine was crawling with orange caterpillars that then became beautiful orange butterflies, fascinated, I wanted to learn more, turns out the passionflower and the caterpillars have a symbiotic relationship, the plant was completely stripped of all but the stalks just in time for the first freeze.

 

[Laurasea]

Alee the passion flower is awesome! The passion flower vine hosts our Florida State butterfly the Zebra Longwing!!! As I painted here, I have some pictures but I'd have look through thousands to find. Planting host plants is so very important, I just did a ten foot by three foot weed, wild flowers, and host plants native garden, I had hundreds if butterflies, bees and dragon flys move right in.

 

[Scott]

Thanks so much for the reminder. There is so much the average person can do to make a difference!

 

[Laurasea]

You are so right Scott! Much of the world is now backyards, and simple addition of a few native plants, tree, or bush, and a nest box or two can have a huge impact. Many species of birds, plants, butterflies are becoming regionally extinct , in towns, and counties, but it doesn't get news coverage. You can join the National Wildlife Federation, make a backyard habit, and get this sign to inspire others to join you. Every backyard in the world could help with native plants, host plants, ect..

 

[Jen5200]

Such a great thread! We have 7 acres and I must confess that I enjoy the outside birds, bugs and wildlife as much as I enjoy my inside birds . Every year I put up more housing for birds and bats - and I can’t believe how fast they move in and take up residence. As I learn which plants work for them, I add more variety. Such a joy to see so much life every time I look out my windows. The parrots also enjoy yelling at the wild birds through the windows lol.

 

[Laurasea]

Jen, what species do you have useing your nest boxes!? I can dream that one day I could have seven acres!!! If you have water on your property I hope you have a wood duck nest box ..I think I have a half acre, and I have three pairs of bluebirds that use the boxes, one pair of Carolina Chickadees, two pairs if tufted timouse, one pair of red bellied wood peckers that use a box, and though I haven't seen any Northern Flickers in ten years, I do have a pair of Greater Crested Flycatchers useing the flicker nest box! Greater Crested Flycatchers always put a snake skin in their nest box, there is a study going on to find out why, and what kind of snake skin they use. I also have a pair if Carolina wrens that use a nest box, all of that in my tiny subdivision yard! I don't have any nest builders though, I have planted the right kind if dense shrubs that when they mature will be right for best builders. I planted several passion flower Vines and had hundreds of zebra long wing butterfly, and friterlary butterflies like a cloud above them. It was eye catching enough to catch my neighborhood walkers attention, and motivated several to plant native!! Like you I keep adding more to see if I have maxed out how many birds are willing to use nest boxes close to each other. ..so far the more I put up the more that move in. I really hope this thread will inspire at least one person to put out a nest box!! And I do really want to hear about who you have in your yard Jen! And if you have more gorgeous pictures please share! I am think of putting out a bat box, and an owl box. I have a pair that visit my yard at night, I just don't want the owls to prey on my songbirds..with a nest box I fear they might, but otherwise they just visit at night.

 

[Laurasea]

Watch The Messenger, free on Netflix, here is a link to a clip. OFFICIAL TRAILER THE MESSENGER DOCUMENTARY - YouTube

At least watch The Messenger folks! It might make you feel motivated!

 

[Jen5200]

Jen, what species do you have useing your nest boxes!? I can dream that one day I could have seven acres!!! If you have water on your property I hope you have a wood duck nest box ..I think I have a half acre, and I have three pairs of bluebirds that use the boxes, one pair of Carolina Chickadees, two pairs if tufted timouse, one pair of red bellied wood peckers that use a box, and though I haven't seen any Northern Flickers in ten years, I do have a pair of Greater Crested Flycatchers useing the flicker nest box! Greater Crested Flycatchers always put a snake skin in their nest box, there is a study going on to find out why, and what kind of snake skin they use. I also have a pair if Carolina wrens that use a nest box, all of that in my tiny subdivision yard! I don't have any nest builders though, I have planted the right kind if dense shrubs that when they mature will be right for best builders. I planted several passion flower Vines and had hundreds of zebra long wing butterfly, and friterlary butterflies like a cloud above them. It was eye catching enough to catch my neighborhood walkers attention, and motivated several to plant native!! Like you I keep adding more to see if I have maxed out how many birds are willing to use nest boxes close to each other. ..so far the more I put up the more that move in. I really hope this thread will inspire at least one person to put out a nest box!! And I do really want to hear about who you have in your yard Jen! And if you have more gorgeous pictures please share! I am think of putting out a bat box, and an owl box. I have a pair that visit my yard at night, I just don't want the owls to prey on my songbirds..with a nest box I fear they might, but otherwise they just visit at night.

I have 3 wood duck boxes . I do have a large pond (just under an acre) so we have lots of types of ducks and water birds stop by. I can and do sit out there for hours at a time and watch them. I have a few pairs of Northern Flickers and at least one pair of pilleated woodpeckers that I see with their babies every year. I think they nest in the trees around the property as I don’t have boxes for them (but there are lots of old 50’+ trees around for them to make nests. I know we have at least 2 great horned owls and I have 3 bat boxes plus a ton of them live seasonally in the top of our old open shop. I have barn swallows, tree swallows, and sparrows living in assorted bird houses all over the property. I live in northern Washington, right on the coast - I have a huge hummingbird population in the summer and between 10-20 that stay year-round and I feed them all winter. Lots of juncos, finches, jays, small woodpeckers, etc but I’ve never seen them living in the houses that I put out. Included a few pics - one of the baby woodpeckers from this summer and a flicker from last week

 

[Laurasea]

You take amazing photos!!! When you care for nature it's called legacy land, as you are leaving a living legacy for the next generation! Well done!