Northern Flicker Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Calls
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New York, April 29, 2016Recorded by Ian Davies / Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, April 02, 1988Recorded by Thomas G. Sander / Macaulay Library
Calls
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West Virginia, January 22, 1996Recorded by Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library
Calls
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New York, September 16, 2020Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, April 09, 1988Recorded by Thomas G. Sander / Macaulay Library
Calls
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November 07, 2018Recorded by Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library
Drum
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West Virginia, June 12, 2017Recorded by Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library
Drum
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California, April 05, 1988Recorded by Thomas G. Sander / Macaulay Library
Juvenile calls
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New York, June 27, 2009Recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Calls (Cuban)
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Matanzas, March 02, 1978Recorded by Eugene Morton / Macaulay Library
Calls (Cuban)
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Artemisa, April 17, 2017Recorded by Glenn Seeholzer / Macaulay Library
Calls (Guatemalan)
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Nueva Segovia, June 17, 2016Recorded by Mark Robbins / Macaulay Library
Calls (Guatemalan)
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Francisco Morazán, December 01, 2019Recorded by Roselvy Juárez / Macaulay Library
Calls (Guatemalan)
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May 17, 1974Recorded by Walter A. Thurber / Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

Northern Flickers make a loud, rolling rattle with a piercing tone that rises and falls in volume several times. The song lasts 7 or 8 seconds and is quite similar to the call of the Pileated Woodpecker. You’ll hear it in the spring and early summer, while pairs are forming and birds are establishing their territories.

Calls

Flickers make a loud single-note call, often sounding like kyeer, about a half-second long. When birds are close together and displaying they may make a quiet, rhythmic wick-a, wick-a call.

Other Sounds

Male and female Northern Flickers make a loud, evenly spaced, rapid drumming sound by hammering against trees or metal objects. You can often see a drumming bird pause, move its head just an inch or so away, and then begin drumming again with a very different quality of sound. Flicker drumming lasts about a second, during which the bird strikes the tree around 25 times. Drumming in woodpeckers takes the place of singing in songbirds.