In all other respects, the habits of the southern flicker are similar to those of the species elsewhere, with due allowance for the difference in environment. Two items of interest, however, are worth quoting. Charles R. Stockard (1904) writes from Mississippi:
On April 18 a burrow of a Flicker containing only one fresh egg was found. The egg was not disturbed. When visiting the nest again on April 28 a flying squirrel was found in possession. On my arrival the bird was at the entrance of the burrow peering in at the intruder. It was supposed that the squirrel was eating the eggs, but on examining the nest it was found to contain one spoilt egg. The squirrel had then probably been in possession for the ten days since the nest was observed, so the bird had been unable to enter and lay. * * * The Flicker must then have remained about her nest for this length of time, and as soon as the squirrel was removed she again took charge. On visiting the nest May 5, seven days later, it contained seven fresh eggs and the old one that had been left. * * * This was undoubtedly a case of discontinuous laying unless she had dropped her eggs on the ground while the squirrel was occupying the nest.
Mrs. Sanford Duncan (1932), of Nashville, Tenn., tells an interesting story of a flicker that was captured by a bullsnake. She heard a great commotion among the birds in her yard and went out to investigate the cause of the excitement. “The Flickers were leading the battle, dashing and darting at a bundle of something on the ground. Closer inspection with field glasses showed it was a snake, all tied up in a curious knot. He was too big for me to attack with the hoe I had, so I shot into the ‘bundle’ with a shotgun. As if by magic the snake flung himself into the air and fell, straightened out, over five feet long, and disclosed a full-grown Flicker that he had wrapped himself around many times. The Flicker was still alive, but died very shortly, probably from the gunshot that killed the bullsnake.”
Lester W. Smith writes to me that he watched a southern flicker digging white grubs out of a lawn and killing them by repeated blows and shaking; meantime a loggerhead shrike was attempting to rob the flicker of its prey.
DISTRIBUTION
Range.—North America, chiefly east of the Rocky Mountains, and from the limit of trees south to the Gulf coast.
Breeding range.—The breeding range of the flicker extends north to Alaska (Circle); northwestern Mackenzie (probably Fort McPherson, Fort Anderson, McVicar Bay, Fort Rae, and Hill Island Lake); northern Saskatchewan (Reindeer Lake); northern Manitoba (probably Lake Du Brochet and Fort Churchill); Ontario (Lac Seul and probably Moose Factory); Quebec (probably Fort George, probably Lake Mistassini, Godbout, and Mingan Island); and Labrador (Cartwright). From this northeastern point the range extends southward through Newfoundland, along the Atlantic coast to Key West, Fla. The southern limits of nesting are the Gulf coasts of Florida and Alabama, thence in the interior to Louisiana (St. Francisville and Genoa); and Oklahoma (Okmulgee and Norman). West to Oklahoma (Norman); central Kansas (Harper, Hay, and Stockton); Nebraska (Red Cloud, Alda, and Chadron); eastern Wyoming (Midwest and Newcastle); Montana (Terry, Fairview, and Great Falls); Alberta (Morrin, Henry House, and Lesser Slave Lake); northwestern British Columbia (Telegraph Creek and Atlin); Yukon (Caribou Crossing and Selkirk); and eastern Alaska (Circle). This species, more or less crossed with the red-shafted flicker (Colaptes c. collaris), also is found occasionally in eastern Colorado (Hallvale, Denver, and Fort Morgan).
Winter range.—During the winter season the flicker is found with more or less regularity north to southeastern South Dakota (Yankton, Vermillion, and Sioux Falls); southern Minnesota (Hutchinson and Minneapolis); southern Wisconsin (North Freedom and Milwaukee); southern Michigan (Kalamazoo, Jackson, Ann Arbor, and Detroit); southern Ontario (Plover Mills, Hamilton, and Toronto); New York (Rochester, Syracuse, and Rhinebeck); and rarely Maine (Waterville). From this point it is found south along the Atlantic coast to southern Florida (St. Lucie and Fort Myers). The southern limits of the winter range are found on the Gulf coast from Florida (Fort Myers) to Texas (Brownsville). West to Texas (Brownsville, San Antonio, San Angelo, and Abilene); central Oklahoma (Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tonkawa); Kansas (Wichita and rarely Hay); Nebraska (Red Cloud and North Loup); and southeastern South Dakota (Yankton). It also has been taken or observed at this season north to southern Saskatchewan (Eastend); Quebec (Montreal); New Brunswick (St. John); and Nova Scotia (Bridgetown).
The range as outlined is for the entire species, of which two subspecies are currently recognized. The typical form, known as the southern flicker (C. a. auratus), is found from southern Florida and Texas north to southeastern Kansas, southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois and Indiana, and North Carolina. It probably is nonmigratory. The rest of the range is occupied by the northern flicker (C. a. luteus).
Spring migration.—Early dates of arrival in regions north of the winter range as outlined, are: Nova Scotia—Wolfville, March 26; Halifax, April 7. New Brunswick—Scotch Lake, April 5; Grand Manan, April 12. Quebec—Quebec City, April 27; Godbout, May 2; Paradise, June 5. North Dakota—Fargo, March 29; Charlson, March 30; Grand Forks, April 2. Manitoba—Winnipeg, March 30; Alexander, April 14; Raeburn, April 15. Saskatchewan—Eastend, April 3; McLean, April 3. Wyoming—Cheyenne, April 7; Laramie, April 12. Montana—Great Falls, April I; Terry, April 4; Jackson, April 14. Alberta—Banff, April 4; Flagstaff, April 13; Edmonton, April 17. Mackenzie—Fort Simpson, May 4; Fort Reliance, May 2. Alaska—Fairbanks, April 25; Fort Yukon, May 1.