Northern Flickers in Connecticut
When flickers are present in Connecticut, when they nest, which native Connecticut plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7b yard.
- Status in Connecticut
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7b
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Connecticut
Northern Flickers live in Connecticut all year. Snowy winters with regular nor'easters; feeders carry chickadees, titmice and juncos through January and February. 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.
Humid continental with maritime moderation along Long Island Sound.
Nesting in Connecticut
Across Connecticut, 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, humid summers; peak nesting runs May through July.
- 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 Connecticut plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Connecticut, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding flickers through the Connecticut 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 Connecticut's winter: Snowy winters with regular nor'easters; feeders carry chickadees, titmice and juncos through January and February.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Connecticut year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Connecticut.
When do flickers nest in Connecticut?
Nesting in Connecticut typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Connecticut?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry are native plants in Connecticut 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 Connecticut
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 — Connecticut
- 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.