Northern Flickers in Colorado
When flickers are present in Colorado, when they nest, which native Colorado plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–7b yard.
- Status in Colorado
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–7b
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Colorado
Northern Flickers live in Colorado all year. Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward poison ivy, dogwood, sumac and bayberry fruit.
Semi-arid high plains in the east and the Rocky Mountains through the center, with most backyards between 5,000 and 7,000 ft.
Nesting in Colorado
Across Colorado, flickers typically nest from April–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.
Warm, dry days and cool nights; afternoon storms are common in July and August.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — 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 Colorado plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Colorado, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Fast-growing northern cherry with midsummer fruit.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Feeding flickers through the Colorado 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 Colorado's winter: Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Colorado year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Colorado.
When do flickers nest in Colorado?
Nesting in Colorado typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Colorado?
Smooth sumac, Virginia creeper, New England aster, Tall goldenrod, Pin cherry, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper are native plants in Colorado 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 Colorado
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 — Colorado
- 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.