Northern Flickers in Idaho
When flickers are present in Idaho, when they nest, which native Idaho plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.
- Status in Idaho
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–7b
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Idaho
Northern Flickers live in Idaho all year. Cold winters with inversions in the valleys; mountain finches and Bohemian Waxwings move into towns. 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 sagebrush plains along the Snake River and forested mountains to the north and center.
Nesting in Idaho
Across Idaho, 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.
Hot, dry summers in the Snake River Plain and cool mountain summers.
- 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 Idaho plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Idaho, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Red fruit persists until late winter when other food is gone.
Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Feeding flickers through the Idaho 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 Idaho's winter: Cold winters with inversions in the valleys; mountain finches and Bohemian Waxwings move into towns.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Idaho year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Idaho.
When do flickers nest in Idaho?
Nesting in Idaho typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Idaho?
Smooth sumac, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Common hackberry, Rocky Mountain juniper are native plants in Idaho 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 Idaho
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 — Idaho
- 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.