Northern Flickers in Florida
When flickers are present in Florida, when they nest, which native Florida plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 8a–11b yard.
- Status in Florida
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 8a–11b
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Florida
Northern Flickers live in Florida all year. Winter is the busy feeder season as northern migrants — goldfinches, wrens and others — arrive from October. 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 subtropical in the north to tropical in the Keys; a wet summer and a dry winter season.
Nesting in Florida
Across Florida, flickers typically nest from March–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.
Heat, humidity and summer storms: boxes need drainage holes, ventilation and shade, and nectar spoils fast.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before February — 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 Florida plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Florida, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Waxy winter berries and dense evergreen cover.
Late-summer purple fruit clusters.
Blooms spring through summer.
Acorns and insect-rich bark.
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.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Feeding flickers through the Florida 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 Florida's winter: Winter is the busy feeder season as northern migrants — goldfinches, wrens and others — arrive from October.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Florida year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Florida.
When do flickers nest in Florida?
Nesting in Florida typically runs March–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Florida?
Wax myrtle, American beautyberry, Coral honeysuckle, Southern live oak, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Smooth sumac are native plants in Florida 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 Florida
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 — Florida
- 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.