Northern Flicker male at the edge of melting snow, late winter
The most abundant woodpecker you will see here year round is the Northern Flicker. In the west the wing linings are a rich rusty colour, but in the east they are golden yellow. Other woodpeckers are pictured below.
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Woodpecker tongues are extremely long and wrap around inside the bird's skull. They use them to probe crevices in tree bark and the stickiness of their saliva enables them to pull grubs, insects and small seeds out to eat.
Pileated Woodpecker female, our largest woodpecker
Northern Flicker female close-up