The Flicker's Secret

[Yoyostick]

The Flicker's Secret

I saw a flicker,
Just today,
Perched upon a tree.
And on my word,
I do declare,
He was laughing at me.

He smiled,
As he shut his wings,
To hide his secret side.
I waited for him,
To give it away,
But he would not oblige.

I hit the window,
In my impatience,
And I believe I scared that fellow.
For up he flew,
And I beheld,
His wings decked out in yellow.

[Kris777]

What is a flicker?  

[spud]

A flicker is a bird native to north america.  It's true name is a yellow shafted flicker.  Those are the ones in PA.

[Yoyostick]

A flicker is a bird native to north america.  It's true name is a yellow shafted flicker.  Those are the ones in PA.

Yellow-shafted flickers are only one kind of flicker. There are also red-shafted flickers.

To make it more simple, Kris777, a flicker is a relative of the woodpecker. They look very similar to the larger types of woodpeckers, and if you ever saw one, you'r first impression would be "Look, a woodpecker."

My poem is referring to the yellow-shafted flicker. When yellow-shafted flickers are perched, they look pretty normal. But when they fly, it reveals bright yellow on the underside of their wings and tail. It's quite pretty.

[Willowbirch]

What a lovely poem!

Here's a Flicker:


There are more pictures of Flickers and other woodpeckers at this site:
http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/Sampler2-Woodpeckers.html