Northern Flickers in Alaska
When flickers are present in Alaska, when they nest, which native Alaska plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 1a–8a yard.
- Status in Alaska
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1a–8a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Alaska
Northern Flickers are summer residents in Alaska, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on ants and ant larvae.
Subarctic interior, temperate rainforest in the Southeast panhandle, and Arctic tundra on the North Slope.
Nesting in Alaska
Across Alaska, flickers typically nest from May–June. Nest site: excavated cavity in dead or soft trees and utility poles. Females lay 5–8 eggs, incubate for 11–13 days, and young leave the nest after 24–27 days.
A short, explosive summer with near-continuous daylight compresses nesting into a few weeks.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — flickers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 2 1/2 in entrance on a 7 × 7 in floor, mounted 6–20 ft.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after June.
Native Alaska plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Alaska, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.
Dark berries and evergreen understory cover.
Spring flowers for Rufous Hummingbirds, early fruit for thrushes.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Feeding flickers through the Alaska year
Flickers feed on lawns more than any other woodpecker and will use nest boxes packed with wood chips.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanut hearts.
- In Alaska's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Alaska year-round?
No. Northern Flickers are summer breeders in Alaska and leave for the winter.
When do flickers nest in Alaska?
Nesting in Alaska typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Alaska?
Paper birch, Red-osier dogwood, Western serviceberry, Salal, Salmonberry, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb) are native plants in Alaska that provide food or cover for flickers.
What size birdhouse hole do flickers need?
2 1/2 in, with a floor of 7 × 7 in mounted 6–20 ft.
Northern Flickers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alaska
Sources
- Northern Flicker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Flicker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Flicker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alaska
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.