Deep Dive: Andean Flicker

Andean Flickers are also known as Colaptes rupicola.¹ They are found in South America, from Ecuador to Argentina.^2&3 They stand about 12-13 inches tall and weigh somewhere between 5 and 7 ounces.¹

They have gray feathers on their heads and their bodies are yellowish. They have barring or spots on their chests – this will depend on which subspecies you’re looking at.⁴ There are 3 subspecies of Andean Flicker. Males and females will look mostly the same, except for the markings on their heads.⁵

Andean Flickers stand out from other woodpeckers because they’ll nest with other pairs of Andean Flickers. They are cavity nesters and will usually nest in the fall – but sometimes you’ll see them do so in the winter. It all depends on where they live.⁵

These birds can be found in grassland or woodland habitats. They can live in elevations up to 16,000 feet!² They don’t migrate but will sometimes move from a higher elevation to a lower one if it gets too cold in the area.⁵

Andean Flickers are considered to be of Least Concern by the IUCN.⁴

Learn About the Food Chain with our Owl Pellet Dissection Kits!

Owl pellets are a great way to introduce students to dissection, teach them about the food chain, and keep them engaged in a new topic! They’ll have tons of fun figuring out what the owl ate, and they can compare what they find with what their peers find to learn about the variety of prey owls eat!