Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
A PAIR OF FLICKERS

"Aitten Ior Ine Evening star.
The flicker Is known throughout almost
the whole of North America and wherever
he is known he is loved by all right minded
members Of the community. He is of good
appearance, Industrious in his habits and
minds his own business He Is a good citi-
zen. and an example to the rest of us; many
Of us are proud of him and the others
ought to be.
Last spring saw a male flicker alight on
the slantfng trunk of a dead tree and. after
hitching sidewise two or three times. he
stopped near a spot where the bark was
loose, and began prying off bits Of it with
his strong curved bill. pausing now and
then to devour the insects which he brought
to light Once he waited for a second or
two. with his head on one side, as though
he heard something moving beneath the
surface, and then he began to attack a par
ticular spot with great vigor. "Rat-tat.at-
at. rat-tat-at-at" went the bill. as It drilled
neat little hole, and then the woodpecker
paused to drive in his barbed tongue which
pierced luckless Grub and dragged 1t.
writhing. from its stronghold. Then. flying
to higher branch, he sent forth long
call. "Wfcka- wicka- wicka-wicka," which
penetrated to the very heart of the woods.
Presently he flew to another tree, alighting
close to hard, dead branch. where he
shifted about as though to secure a perfect
foothoid two toes of each foot in front and
two behind, their sharp nails nipping the
bark like claw pincers. and with his pointed
tail feathers propping him up from below.
Calling His Lady Love.
Then he threw his head back, and after
momentary pause brought the tip of his
bill to bear upon the dead branch with
marvellous force and rapidity The effect
was loud, vfbratory sound. not unlike the
rapid rolling of small drum. and after a
moments silence, during which the wood
pecker turned his head on one side as
though listening, it was repeated SEEM
ingly louder than before. Again and again
the sound rolled forth from the resonant
branch, and then with little pat a sec
ond flicker alighted upon the tree. Then
the drummer ceased his drumming. for he
had something better to do The lady love
he had been. calling for had arrived, and
the delightful task of winning her affec-
tons was before him. He drew near and
bowed to her, uttering notes which sounded
like pretty speeches, then praneed In front
Of her spreading his tail and his wings.
displaying the golden feather shafts At
this point another male flicker arrived from
harsh notes. dashed off together, and were
followed soon after by the cause of their
jealousy. s
Making Home.
Which, If either. of the two males was
eventually successful 1 don't know, but at
all events I saw pair of mated fiickers in
that corner of the woods very few days
later. Apparently they were considering
the question of making their home in one
of the branches of a dead chestnut tree
which stood on the edge of the wood, for
they few onto the tree and off 1t and back
again a great many times. At last a deci-
sion was reached, and on that very tree
work was commenced. The spot selected
1nll tyxvay 1ty feat frfnr, md m
the under side of a large branch which
leaned somewhat toward the south. One
of the birds began by cutting a circle
about one and half inches in diameter
and then digging out the wood inside of
1t to depth of two or three inches. Then,
for some reason which I could not deter
mine, they abandoned this hole and began
a new one on another limb near by. Here
they hammered away, the male and the fe-
male alternately. and the white chips flew
around them as they worked.
Seven Transparent Eggs.
For eight days they labored hard; then.
because no more chips were thrown out, I
presume that the home was finished. Some
ten days later I enlarged the entrance
little. that I could put my hand into the
nest. inside the nest hole was much wider
than one might have supposed from glanc-
ing at the doorway. and opened out into a
roomy cavity which extended downward
perhaps eighteen inches, affording ample
room for the mother she sat upon her
eggs. OF the latter there were seven,
transparent white with pink yeinings show
ing through the shell. The yolks, as in all
fresh woodpeckers' eggs which have seen,
were plainly visible, and floated lightly to
the top, no matter which way up the eggs
were held. The mother flicker. who had
flnown out as began to climb the tree, and
who had been reproaching me gently In her
.olr Al.
utes after descended and went to her eggs
with more than a glance at the dis
fgurement of her doorway.
Feeding the Young.
Next time I visited the nest the young
birds were Matched, for as I tapped on the
tree trunk there came from the hole a
sound like that made by escaping steam or
singing kettfe-the sound of very young
fiickers crying In chorus. AS the young
sters grew older their cries became louder
and could be heard for several yards. They
always cried when either of the parent
birds alighted on the tree near the hole or
when the tree was struck with stick or
stone. I did not see the parent birds feed
the young, but We know from the observa-
tons of Mr.. William Brewster that young
f1ickers are fed by regurgitation in much
the same manner as young pigeons are
given their nourishment. The parent flicker
thrusts his bill down the throat of little
flicker, and with his wings and TAIL and
In fact, his whole body quivering with the
effort he literally pumps the half-digested
food from his own stomach into that of his
offspring.
Some time before they were ready to
leave the nest the lodgings would scramble
up to the mouth of the nest hole, and some
times four or five inquisitive little heads
might be seen peering out at once. If they
caught sight Of me. or If made the least
81, fA< hA0A c ~ a u
thrust out again the moment everything
was quiet
On leaving the nest they could fly well at
once making more than a hundred yards
at the first attempt. Their plumage at this
age was almost identical with that of the
parents ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES
Answered.