That movement looks like a flock of Starlings to me. I could be wrong but I don't know that Flickers flock together like that. Do you have a closer pic of one of the birds? Right now Starlings are changing into their Winter colors and are spotted vs solid black like they are in Summer.

Donna

I would say those are definitely European Starlings.

BN

I have pictures from last year... as best as I could photograph them. Sorry 'bout that, and thanks.

Dax

Dax

I have never seen flickers in flocks, if they are, they fly like starlings.
No coloring can be seen in your pictures, you would think that when they fly around like this that some of the bright under wings can be seen like this.

Konrad

They're not yellow - no. I have seen prior the yellow undersides of Northern Flickers flying past my deck.

I'll still try to get another photo. Your photo is great Konrad. That's awesome. Love birds.

Dax

I would say definately Starlings. Dang things are taking over the whole US!

Donna

Starlings. Not flickers for sure. Have flocks of starlings like that out here.Do they make a kind of whirring noise when flying? I have some flickers but they just sit and dig for ants. No flying around in huge flocks.

I had 4 flickers, 2 starlings, and a robin as a flock last month... strangest thing I had ever seen. The bugs in the lawn must have been hoppin that day! I don't have my camera with me, but I think I took a pic. I'll post if I can find it. Might be a good comparison for this thread since they would be in the same frame.

Although I never really noticed it before, after comparing my photos I can easily see how Flickers & Starlings might be confused from a distance.

On the other hand, while starlings commonly move in flocks that number well into the hundreds, I don't recall ever seeing more than 3 flickers in one grouping.

Northern flickers also have a white rump patch that is very visible when they are flying, particularly in the opposite direction. If those were Flickers, it would be quite the sight to see that many white spots swooping around!

Update: I haven't seen them since the last time. Years past, they were here for weeks and if not everyday, every other day. Their absence is likely due that I was not able to mow for two weeks due to my mower being in the shop being repaired. If I keep the grass cut very low, that's when they are feasting, it seems...

Dax

All I had to do was talk about them and they showed up.

Again, my apologies - however all I have is a pocket camera and this was shot at a great distance.

{{!gwi}}

Dax

Hm..now, with seeing these "darker birds"... I'm afraid these are European Starlings.

Konrad

Here they are again. This time I was able to photograph from a relatively closer distance from my kitchen window. Last photo has three birds... the little guy on the right I think might possibly be the id I was looking for, yesterday.

Thanks a lot guys.

Dax

Well...not flocks of birds, you could have 2 or 3 species...Starlings
Pigeon?...The little guy on the right bottom I think is a Eastern Phoebe.

Yes sir, an Eastern Phoebe it is (id' on another thread). It's a small family of them. I've seen them chasing each other in mid-air like brothers and sisters would do. They chase and chase and then sometimes the two stop on the same shrub to rest, like as if, they are best friends.

Dax

Oh yes, one's you have them nesting at your place it seems you have
them for live. It's my 3rd. or 4th. year nesting under the bridge over the pond....I love them dearly too,
they're sooo..much fun heaving them and stick around your yard for a long long time.

That's good to hear. Learn, learn, and that's exactly what is happening.

Thank you sir.

Dax

Same dilemma as to what these are. Took this pix last month, dark beaks and the top one looks like the legs are reddish.
I took this a month ago so don't remember how large the birds were, far away up in a tree.

Follow up: Bob Carlton Rossmoor Nature Ass'n Prez identified these as European Starlings in fall plummage.

More bird images in that gallery.

Here is a link that might be useful: Birds congregating...Starlings

This post was edited by Cowgirl_in_the_Sand on Wed, Dec 12, 12 at 13:03

This is almost a flock of Red-Shafted Flickers. Three on the feeder. Two on the fence. A 6th was on the ground not in the picture.

BobnBernie

Seattle

Oh this coming year I will have to find my camera and try for a shot of the "flock" of flickers I get!!! Lots of ants here and they spread out all over the yard!!! Not as big as a flock of starlings but none the less where there is an abundance of ants they WILL flock feed!!!