What kind of bird is this???

[Coues Sniper]

My wife was getting the mail this evening when she told me to come out and look at these "cool birds" that were roosting in our entryway. I came out and saw what looks to me like a couple Arizona Woodpeckers, but I didn't think we had them here (Vegas). Couple places I looked up on Google didn't think so either. Our entry way is pretty tall which makes them look smaller than they are, they're a bit smaller than a pigeon. Are they something else, or did these two just get really lost? I told her you guys would have this figured in about 10 minutes

 

Thanks

 

Kevin

[coues7]

That a woodpecker....if they are on your house you'd better check for termites and if you are outside of city limits blast them with the ol' shotgun....of course not while they are your house

[CouesWhitetail]

They are Flickers (a type of woodpecker). Fairly common. The white rump patch and the colored mustache are pretty diagnostic. They spend a lot of time on lawns foraging as well as in trees.

They have beautiful underwing colors (yours are probably red-shafted, but there are other ones like the gilded and yellow-shafted (yellows are mostly out East though) )

 

for more info:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/btaphotoclass/

 

Amanda

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

Yep, them be flickers. My 3 year old calls them elk birds....i guess cause they kinda sound like a cow elk mewing.

[CouesWhitetail]

Yep, them be flickers. My 3 year old calls them elk birds....i guess cause they kinda sound like a cow elk mewing.

 

 

That's really cool. They do have a call note that sounds like an elk mew. Some describe it as saying a sharp "KLE-er"

 

Amanda

 

[bowhuntaz1]

Yep, them be flickers.

 

 

+1

 

[Kilimanjaro]

Annoying little boogers who like to sit on my windowsill and call as loud as they can right at day break after going to be a few hours earlier!! I think they KNOW what they're doing too!

[Coues Sniper]

Aha. Never even heard of a Flicker. I had seen birds that lookd like that in AZ and Mexico and always thought they were Arizona Woodpeckers. I had never seen them here around Vegas (not much of any wildlife close by really ) Maybe I've been seeing these Flickers down south the whole time . Thanks guys.

[25-06]

That flicker sound will bring in a buncha fox, anybody ever want to call a fox in should try it

[Hendo9]

i thought it was a Cactus wren