Bird ID help?

[the_z]

I need help identifying a bird that's been coming to our feeder infrequently in the past couple of days. It's extremely skittish, so I haven't been able to snap a better picture than this. IT WATCHES ME! This is the first time I've seen it with a mate:

Comments

[telophase]

It's familiar - I think I've seen something like this before, but I can't quite place it. Have linked from my journal.

Birdie

[anonymous]

Mayb it's a Norther Flicker. Check it out on www.webster.edu/~corbetre/birds/yard-bird-photos.html

This is close to the bottom of the page.

[smillaraaq]

Looks like a Flicker to me! :)

[telophase]

With that info, yeah - specifically the yellow-shafted flicker.

[chomiji]

Yup, a flicker. They're shockingly big the first time you see one.

[matildarose]

Bah, beaten. :O

[movingfinger]

Flickers are forest birds like woodpeckers, insect eaters mostly, but in winter when insects and larvae can be hard to find, they do show up at bird feeders. I've seen them working trees with fruit still hanging, eating both the fruit and any insects they can find. Keep your suet replenished and you may see them again! They seem to like the fruit-nut mixes most.

You have probably heard flickers, but just have not had a chance to observe them before!