Northern Flickers in Iowa
When flickers are present in Iowa, when they nest, which native Iowa plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4b–6a yard.
- Status in Iowa
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4b–6a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Iowa
Northern Flickers live in Iowa all year. Cold, windy winters; open farmland makes backyard shelter and feeders a lifeline. 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 prairie state, with loess hills in the west and the Driftless Area in the northeast.
Nesting in Iowa
Across Iowa, 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, humid summers with thunderstorms.
- 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 Iowa plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Iowa, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
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.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding flickers through the Iowa 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 Iowa's winter: Cold, windy winters; open farmland makes backyard shelter and feeders a lifeline.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Iowa year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Iowa.
When do flickers nest in Iowa?
Nesting in Iowa typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Iowa?
Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Iowa 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 Iowa
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 — Iowa
- 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.