The Yellowhammer State

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by: TylerSmith
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Word Count: 565
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 Time: 11:07 AM

The Northern Flicker (referred to as the flicker, southern flicker, common flicker, yellow-shafted flicker, and yellowhammer) has become a staple of Alabama culture ever since the Civil War. This beautiful woodpecker boasts a gray-brown back with split black bars on the body feathers. The yellow shafts of the flight feathers are hardly noticeable, the rump patch is vivid white, and its two-pointed tail is primarily black. The crown and back of the neck is grey with a red band on the nape of the neck. The yellowhammer's cheeks are generally pinkish-buff accompanied by a black moustache and bib underneath on the throat underneath the chin area. The underparts of the northern flicker are creamy with plenty of sporadic black blotches. The undersides of the wings and tail are brilliant yellow. Female yellow-shafted flickers are different from males because they do not have a black moustache. The two sexes have grey legs, a dark grey bill, and darkish brown eyes. The flicker has especially pointed talons which allows for it to effortlessly perch on vertical tree trunks.
The yellowhammer is among the more frequently encountered native birds around Alabama. This unique woodpecker can be found typically inside southeastern United States and may be found in Alabama during each and every month of the year. The rather sizeable egg clutch suggests that they can be a relatively short-lived bird, but there is not enough data to substantiate a typical life span.
Flickers ingeneral are noted to eat more ants than any other species of American bird. Additionally, they feed on most different kinds of bugs such as grasshoppers, crickets, and caterpillars. The yellowhammer will also feed on various forms of plant life like berries, nuts, seeds, and fruits. The yellowhammer is identified by its strange jumping motion as it moves across the land searching for bugs. The northern flicker needs to be aware of the dangers of many potential predators like owls, hawks, and tree climbing snakes. They are also targets for various other mammalian predators when they are in the grass feeding. Predation creates zero threat to this animal's existence.
This woodpecker grew to become associated with Alabama once the yellowhammer nickname was presented to a battalion of confederate soldiers in the command of Rev D.C. Kelly, upon arriving in Hopkinsville, KY where General Forest's troops were positioned. The officers and troops in this Huntsville battalion wore high-quality, brand-new uniforms in comparison to the soldiers which had experienced the battlefields who dressed in grungy clothing. Topping off these exquisite uniforms were parts of vibrant yellow fabric around the sleeves, collars, and coattails. As the vibrantly attired platoon rode up on the camp, one of Forest's troops known as Will Arnett screamed, "Yellowhammer, yellowhammer, flicker, flicker!" This greeting sparked great laughter, and this battalion from that point onwards would become known as the yellowhammer platoon. The term instantly spread all through the military, and very soon all Alabama born confederate troops were described unofficially as yellowhammers. The troops from the state of Alabama embraced this brand new nick name and donned a yellowhammer feather on their caps or lapels during reunions. The legislation to make the yellowhammer the state bird of Alabama was unveiled in 1927 by Representative Thomas E Martin, and it was accepted on September 6 of the same year by Governor Bibb Graves.

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