Common Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
We had a family of three chicks raised in the wall of one of the buildings, and as the babies got older, we were entertained by all three of the chicks sticking their heads out of the hole to see what was going on around them! It was not unusual to see all three of them with their heads stuck out! Mom and Dad would hunt food and wait until no one was around before entering the nest.
There are three populations of these birds Yellow-shafted, Red-shafted and Gilded. They were previously recognized as separate species. This bird is of the Red-shafted race, and grew to be as large as a blue-jay. They are woodpeckers, as you can tell by the whole they made in the building! I decided to not fix the hole, in the hopes that they decide to use the nest again. They are insect eaters and so are very welcome!