One of the benefits of our neighbourhood is that it is a rich habitat for wildlife. For our feathered friends, nesting time is drawing near, and mating behaviour is starting to occur.
You may have heard a drumming noise, like a jackhammer, on your gutters or roof, or on a nearby tree. This is usually performed by Northern Flickers in our area. Northern Flickers are brownish-red woodpeckers, about dove size, with red linings to their wings and an undulating flight. Their call is a loud, clear “wick wick wick”.
(Click for larger picture - the Northern Flicker is on the right.)
Male flickers drum to attract the ladies and declare their territory. Flickers seem to believe that the early bird gets the girl - they tend to drum early in the morning. If you are woken by a drumming sound, have a look out your window and up - sometimes you can see red tailfeathers hanging off the side of the roof.
If you hear drumming on your house, it is generally not a cause for concern. Many times the flicker will be drumming on your gutters because they make the loudest noise. If you have a flicker drumming on wood on your house, damage is possible. There is no need to harm the woodpecker - they do a lot of good eating destructive bugs in our forest. Instead, consider putting up a mirror, Mylar strips, a plastic owl, or fake snake to shoo the offender away. These items must be placed right where the flicker is drilling to be effective.
You may also see Pileated Woodpeckers in our neighbourhood. Pileateds are crow-sized and are black and white with a bright red crest. They excavate large oval holes in dead trees looking for bugs and grubs to eat. They also love suet and will visit backyard feeders daily. We are fortunate to have at least one breeding pair in our forest. Pileateds make a very loud laughing noise as they arrive in a yard. Like flickers, their flight is also undulating, with wings spread for a beat or two, then tucked in to the body for a moment.
(Click for bigger picture)
Posted in Critters
