Before the calendar told me that spring had arrived, a familiar visitor announced it in a very bold way. Every spring for the past several years, a northern flicker woodpecker (Colaptes auratus) has pecked away on my roof during mating season in spurts of rapid, repetitive motion lasting several seconds. The sound of a jackhammer comes to mind. When the object is a metal cap covering a resonating chimney, you can imagine the attention this behavior commands.
Males engage in “drumming” behavior to establish territories and to attract mates. Later in the season, birds of both sexes may do it to stay in touch with each other. The woodpecker’s anatomy is well suited for this activity – strong neck and skull musculature and a straight, no nonsense bill. When humans encroach on their natural habitats, they tend to drum on other surfaces.
You can listen to a recording of drumming sounds via the Birds of North America Online database by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Once you bring up the entry for the northern flicker, choose “Sounds,” then “Multimedia,” and finally, “Audio Gallery.” This database covers all aspects of the biology of this species (and over 700 others) in an inviting, yet authoritative, approach.
If you are bothered by this behavior, you could take some nonlethal steps to discourage a woodpecker before it fixates on your house. Act immediately as it is difficult to move an entrenched bird. Measures include hanging reflective objects such as Mylar® strips. You could also cover a favored surface with cloth or padding. Disturbing active nests is illegal, so be careful if you take any action. I’ve listed below some excellent resources available at The Seattle Public Library that go into this in more detail.
Now, some words of admiration for the earnest northern flicker. This protected species is widely distributed in wooded areas of North America. It also has the distinction of being the third largest woodpecker on this continent. They are enormously beneficial to us as they consume large quantities of insect pests, including carpenter ants.
Here are some resources to help you co-exist with woodpeckers and other wildlife:
Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest by Russell Link
Written by a biologist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, this is the definitive guide for tips in our area. There is also an online version.
Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife edited by John Hadidian et al.
Practical suggestions are given by The Humane Society of the United States.
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