My Friend Flicker

They're loud, annoying and can cause property damage in neighborhoods. The northern flicker woodpecker can be a problem for some homeowners, and getting rid of them can be difficult. Most northern flickers peck, or "drum," to look for insects to eat, to create a space for a nest or to find a partner. It's important to scare off the birds before they lay eggs in their nests. If that happens, homeowners need to get special permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to even touch the birds or their nests.

We have several nesting pairs in our forested neighborhood. They “drum” on the aluminum roof vent of our house.  Our 100# “watchdog” was terrified by this sound and fled to the basement whenever he heard that noise.

Personally I like having them around, they’re fun to watch.