You Asked; Birders Answered

Birders are always active on the Seashore, and recently they identified a new species that has only been spotted on the Outer Banks! Local beach drivers asked birders to identify it, and they answered.

The newly identified bird’s song is similar to that of the Eastern Towhee, but higher in pitch (think piccolo voicing), and it calls its own name, “Flick-a-deeeeee.” The Flickadee, a tiny feather-ball, is almost impossible to spot with its white, sand, and brown feathers camouflaging it from predators, and as it runs across the sand it can be easily mistaken for a ghost crab. Its loose and unkempt feathers flap wildly as it runs, which from a distance look like little crab legs!

The Flickadee eats anything it can get its little beak on, and chirps triumphantly when it outwits people trying to photograph or study it. Its habitat appears to be vast and varied. Some birders believe they’ve heard the Flickadee perched in a tree. Others believe they’ve seen them scraping on the sand, much like the American oyster-catcher. Still others believe they nest in building eves.

Bird expert Judi Finch told us, “This species can also be difficult to spot alive because it is most often found crushed under the wheels of a huge, gas-guzzling vehicle or tangled up in a pile of fishing line and beer cans.” Continuing, Finch said, “We have observed Flickadees deeply interested in and physical with bird shapes on stickers and decals, and exhibiting what we assume is mating behavior with said decals and stickers. It’s odd. Very, very odd.”

So much about these birds is still unknown, but don’t fear! Your friendly neighborhood amateur bird-nerd (me) will be the first to break any developing news about the Flickadee.

Hey, readers! Thanks for indulging us on the most fun newsday of the whole year!