We live in east texas and this bird is big..I thought it was a hawk listening to it call out...but he was high in the tree so the pic is blurry, he has red on him and I cannot find anything big with red? Anyone?
bird identification
It might help to describe how big (perhaps in reference to another bird).
Northern Flicker - you can see the red nape and the black crescent on the chest.
Resin
I agree, looks like a Flicker.
Question: my northern flickers dig up and eat ants. Will the ones in Flint, TX be able to do that to the fire ants?
Ohhh that's a good question.:-)))
Maybe it depends on how hungry they are. :-)
Tried to find some info - a google search showed up a link which listed Fire Ant in a list of Flicker foods, but when I tried clicking on the link it was one of those ones that you need a password for. So I couldn't see if it was a significant food item or not.
Resin
This is such a great site! I am amazed I got an answer so quick...I think ya'll are right and I did more research and I think the other unknown bird I took a pic of are it's babies? I will try to post them. Not sure yet..no red on the smaller ones.
thanks again Resin!
Second pic might be a flycatcher, but not enough detail to be sure.
Resin
Glad to know that they will eat them. Around here, they seem to prefer the ant nests that are mounded, as fire ant nest are. I just wondered since the fire ants sting and bite so badly that maybe they would strike ants off of their list of foods.
The beak on the second bird pictured seems too small for a flicker, and it's probably too early for juvenile flickers yet. The breast shows streaking like a thrush, probably a Veery or a Swainson's thrush, which would be migrating. All thrushes have very melodious songs; have you heard any really tuneful, bright, clear songs which seem unusual? Might give a clue about whether it really is a thrush.