In 1996，when Alabama needed leaders to fundamentally（根本地）change the course of government in Washington，Bob Riley，a political unknown，answered the call.Governor Riley，then 52，ran a successful Congressional campaign in his first run for state or national office and kept his pledge to serve only three terms.
Governor Riley has been very active serving his community as both a Shriner and a Mason.He and his family are members of the First Baptist（浸信会教友）Church of Ashland，where he taught the mens Sunday school class for a number of years and also served as Chairman of the Churchs Board of Trustees （托管人，保管人）.
Governor Riley is married to the former Patsy Adams，also from Clay County.The Rileys were blessed with four children，Rob，Jenice，Minda and Krisalyn.Jenice，the Rileysfirst daughter and the campaigns fundraiser，passed away in August 2001after inspiring hundreds of people through her courageous （勇敢的，有胆量的）fight against cancer.The Rileys are also the proud grandparents of two granddaughters and two grandsons.
State Bird州鸟
金翼啄木鸟是啄木鸟族成员之一。之所以这样称呼它，是因为它用嘴啄树时，它的翅膀闪动着黄光。它爱以长舌粘食蚂蚁，飞行中会发出似“呜—酷”的叫声。这种鸟身上的灰色和黄色据说像联合骑兵的制服和阿拉巴马联合部队军人头上戴的帽子的颜色。由于这些故事和种群的大量繁衍，于是便被选为阿拉巴马州的州鸟。
This member of the woodpecker （［鸟］啄木鸟）family，also called a flicker （扑动）（Colaptes Aratus），got its name from the way it hammers trees with its beak （鸟嘴，喙）and the flash of yellow it displays on the underside of its wings.The birds colors of gray and yellow were said to resemble （像，类似）the uniform of a Confederate cavalryman（骑兵，地面机械化部队），and an Alabama regiment （团，大群）of the Confederate Army wore yellowhammer feathers in their hats.These stories and the widespread abundance of the species led to the yellowhammers selection as the state bird.
Description：
The back of the male of the common flicker is a graybrown color with broken black bars on the body feathers and with the yellow shafts （轴，杆状物）of the flight feathers partly visible.The rump rump（尾部，臀部）patch （片，斑纹）is white and the twopointed tail is mainly black.The crown and back of the neck is gray with a red band at the nape （项，颈背）.The cheeks are pinkishbuff with a black “moustache”and bib （围兜，口水兜）below the chin （下巴，下颚）on the throat.The underparts are creamy with many，irregular black spots.The undersides of the wings and tail are bright yellow.The female differs from the male in that she does not have the “moustache”.Both sexes have gray legs，a dark gray bill and dark brown eyes.The talons （爪，魔爪）are quite sharp.This helps the bird to easily perch （（使）栖息）on vertical（垂直的）tree trunks（中继线）.
Distribution：
The common flicker is found throughout Alabama and is present all the months of the year.It is one of the more common woodpeckers（［鸟］啄木鸟）.Other races of the flicker are found over all of the North American Continent.The common flicker breeds from the tree line in Canada and Alaska south and eastward.This range lies generally east of the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.Some flickers winter along the Canadian border，but the majority migrate southeastward and winter in the United States.
General：
The common flicker is more terrestrial（陆地性的）in habit than other woodpeckers.On the ground，it has an awkward hopping（忙碌的）movement，but this does not slow its ground feeding.It is commonly observed feeding on lawns and is，perhaps，the most obvious woodpecker of the city and suburban areas.
Nesting and Reproduction：
The common flicker begins nesting in April and Alabama records show dependent nestlings as late as July.These dates will be later for the more northern breeding latitudes（纬度）.The female lays 6to 10white colored eggs in a cavity of a dead tree，fence post or occasionally some other site including nest boxes，building roofs and earthern banks or cliffs.One egg is layed each day until the clutch（一次产的或孵的蛋）is completed.Incubation of the eggs requires about 17days and the nestlings（未离巢的雏鸟）are ready to fly （or fledge）about 3weeks to a month after hatching.Both parents take part in the care and feeding of the young.
Food：
Flickers are reported to eat more ants than any other American bird.In addition，they consume most other types of insects such as grasshoppers（蚱蜢，蝗虫），crickets（［昆］蟋蟀），caterpillars（毛虫）and others.The flicker will also eat many types of vegetative （有关植物生长的，植物的）materials including all types of berries（浆果），nuts，seeds and fruits.The berries of poison ivy appear to be a favorite.
Life Span：
The relatively large egg clutch indicates a fairly short lived bird.A single band return of just over three years may not be an unreasonable average age.However there is insufficient（不足的，不够的）data to substantiate（证实）this as an average life span.
Predator Agents：
This species of wild bird is subject to predation（掠夺行为）from owls，hawks and tree climbing snakes.It is also subject to attack by these and mammalian（哺乳动物的）predators（掠夺者）when feeding on the ground.However，predation poses no threat to the species.
Management：
As with all song birds，the common flicker is protected by provisions of the Migratory Bird（候鸟）Treaty Act entered into by Mexico，Canada and the United States.Feeding habits of the flicker make it reasonably easy to produce food items that are attractive.Production of berries，nuts and seeds will attract other types of birds also.Since this bird will use a nest box for nesting，it lends itself to this phase（阶段，状态）of management by providing such sites.A box for a flicker should have a 7×7inch floor，be 16to 18inches deep and have a 21/2inch diameter（直径）entrance located 2inches from the top.It should be located 6to 20feet above ground.The bottom should be covered with wood chips to a depth of 2inches.
History：
