The Gilded Flicker
Perched atop a mighty saguaro, the gilded flicker is a picture of confidence. Of all the animals of the Sonoran Desert, only the flicker and his cousin the Gila Woodpecker have the audacity to pierce the skin of the saguaro, sovereign ruler of this landscape. The flicker grasps the saguaro’s ribs between its long, narrow toes, seemingly impervious to its spines. Having planted itself there, it pecks away furiously.
In time, the flicker will excavate a cavity large enough to house its family, which consists of its lifelong mate and three to eight chicks per brood. The male assists his mate in incubating the eggs, and both parents feed the young on a diet of regurgitated ants, beetles, termites, caterpillars, and other insects. The young will vacate the nest about four weeks after hatching. Their parents will continue to feed them, and when that ceases to be necessary, will lead them to preferred foraging sites.
Less enterprising birds benefit from the flicker’s hard work. Cactus wrens, elf owls, doves, purple martins, and starlings are quick to lay claim to an abandoned flicker cavity, which offers unparalleled protection from the predators and elements. (Starlings will forcibly evict the smaller Gila Woodpecker, but not the bulkier Flicker). The saguaro itself experiences only a minor irritation, and will soon form a cork-like covering over the exposed flesh which ensures that water is not lost through the cavity.
References:
Banks, L.W., All About Saguaros (2008).
